human
But you don't play at all well, Dick.
gpt
What?
human
Theory against practice--that's the way of it always,
gpt
Well, in a sense ye're right there, Dennehy conceded.
human
It needs a priest to tell you what to do, and a man to do it.
gpt
Let's put a 'not' in the first half of the proposition,
human
And a woman in the second half?
gpt
That must be why they like one another so much, Dennehy suggested.
human
Each makes such a fine justification for the existence of the other. They keep one another in work!
gpt
I always try to be serious, though it's very difficult with the people who come to my house.
human
Ye're serious because ye're an atheist,
gpt
I'm not an atheist, Dick.
human
The Pope'd call you one, and that's enough for a good Catholic like me. How shouldn't you behave yourself properly when you don't believe that penitence can do you any good?
gpt
The weak spot about penitence, remarked Tora,
human
The other party?
gpt
There always is one,
human
I always like to search for a contradictory instance. Now, if a man drinks himself to death, he benefits the revenue, he accelerates the wealth of his heirs, promotes the success of his rivals, gratifies the enmity of his foes, and enriches the conversation of his friends. As for his work--if he has any--_il n'y a pas d'homme nécessaire_.
gpt
It seems to me it would be all right if nobody wasted time and trouble over stopping him,
human
He would be sure to be hurting somebody,
gpt
And why not hurt somebody? I'm sure somebody's always hurting me, Dennehy objected hotly.
human
How would the world get on else? Don't I hold my billet only till a better man can turn me out?
gpt
Yes, said Stephen.
human
Obsolete! It's the soul of it, its essence, its gospel.
gpt
A definition of competition?
human
Yes, and of progress--as they call it.
gpt
To be slain when you're old and weak--what of that?
human
But ye don't think ye're old and weak. That's the shock of it,
gpt
It is rather a shock, Mrs. Lenoir agreed.
human
The truth about yourself is always a shock--or even another person's genuine opinion.