“That’s precisely the way the Real World works Maugham. What ain’t criminal is corrupt, and what ain’t immoral is amoral.”
Maugham stared at Steinthal thoughtfully for a moment. Then said,
“What about everyone else?”
Steinthal shrugged.
“What ‘everyone else?'” he asked.
“All the good and decent people?” Maugham replied.
One corner of Steinthal’s mouth turned up slowly but Maugham couldn’t tell if it was a smile, or a grimace.
“What?” Steinthal said. “You think they don’t know?”
Maugham looked at Steinthal again. Then he shrugged.
“Maybe…” he finally admitted. Then he brightened a little. “But then again, maybe they’re just scared.”
Steinthal looked up into the sky and sighed deeply, but Maugham didn’t feel like it was aimed at him. Then Steinthal looked at his friend again.
“Maybe, Maugham… Maybe. But what is that supposed to be, some kind of excuse?”
from The Detective Steinthal
Wyrdwend 