Ian Hay

“ Uncle Tony lit his cigar reflectively.
‘Are you quite sure it is such a wicked world, Denny?’
‘Well—look at it!’
‘If this world were as wicked as it would have you believe, it would have perished—collapsed upon itself—centuries ago. Humanity—the sort of humanity that you and I mix with—isn’t really depraved. It’s only timid.’
‘Timid?’
‘Yes—timid, and sheep-like. Denny, there are far more good people walking this earth pretending to be bad than bad people pretending to be good. There’s nothing makes a poor human sheep feel so safe as trying to make a noise like a wolf. ”

“ By Jove, you are a sportsman! And I’m sorry about that little girl: it was a mouldy thing to do. I’m afraid I’m rather a rotter at times,’ he continued, in an unaccustomed mood of self-abasement. ‘I sort of give way to things, suddenly. ”