Johnson told them he
didn't see the necessity. In fact, I shouldn't myself, if I were in their
places. You can't have the good of a civilization like ours without having
the bad; but I am not going to deny that the bad is bad. Some people like
to do that; but I don't find my account in it. In either case, I confess
that I think the buyer is worse than the seller--incomparably worse. I
suppose you are not troubled with either case in Altruria?"
"Oh no!" said the Altrurian, with an utter horror, which no repetition of
his words can give the sense of. "It would be unimaginable."
"Still," the banker suggested, "you have cakes and ale, and at times the
ginger is hot in the mouth?"
"I don't pretend that we have immunity from error; but upon such terms as
you have described we have none. It would be impossible."
The Altrurian's voice expressed no contempt, but only a sad patience, a
melancholy surprise, such as a celestial angel might feel in being
suddenly confronted with some secret shame and horror of the Pit.
"Well," said the banker, "with us the only way is to take the business
view and try to strike an average somewhere.
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