Alias Grace

by Margaret Atwood

all I can say, Sir, is that we were young girls, and young girls are often silly in that way; and it is better to laugh than to burst.

the tears began to roll down my cheeks; and I did not dry them, but indulged myself in weeping for several minutes. But then I said to myself, What can’t be cured must be endured;

“And in any case, there were no gold earrings taken. I won’t say I didn’t think of it later, when we were packing up; but having a thought is not the same as doing it. If we were all on trial for our thoughts, we would all be hanged.”

a little white lie such as the angels tell is a small price to pay for peace and quiet.