The basis of law is parity, she insisted. The idea of balance is within us.
Me: But isn't this parity the core of social contract?
Her: No, it's not social contract. There is irreducible good and irreducible evil. Parity flows from this.
Me: But where is this atom of morality? How can I measure it?
Her: Don't you feel it? Don't you feel within you what is good without thinking of the external conditions?
Me: No, there are always conditions.
Her: Don't you feel that killing without a reason is bad even if there are no consequences.
Me: If there were no consequences like pain or retribution, if there were no consequences of loneliness or community, then there would be nothing to hold me back from killing people. On the same note, why should I not aid them? Such things become equally absurd. Animals feel no scruple -
Her: But it is not absurd. We are not animals.
Me: We are not?
Her: No, but I guess there are sociopaths.
Me: And they should be treated as what you call animals - being distinct from man?
Her: There are fundamental differences between how we think.
Me: Give me irreducible evil
Her: I already gave it to you. Unless you find killing morally okay? Are you a killer?
Me: I don't like pain.
Her: Then you are a coward?
Me: I'm not the german superman. Nor was Nietzsche.
Her: I need more madras.
When she returned, she seemed even bolder. For a moment, I thought I would represent all that was evil to her but she only looked at me tenderly with her drunk eyes. I guess it must have been the English air.
Slinking away like a frightened animal, I fell into a troubled sleep on the croquet greens.
