The Hellfire Conspiracy Quotes

“Man is capable of doing great harm, either in a single desperate act, or over a protracted period of time, out of neglect or selfishness or even laziness. But man can be more than a brute, and he should be. I shall even be optimistic enough to say he was designed to be more. Mind you, it is not easy, but it can be done.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“don’t expect fairness or justice on this side of the grave; that is what the other side is for.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“Detection is not about finding someone and fashioning a charge that will stick to him. It’s more like a footrace. One knows the winner is among the runners, but only when the others have dropped out and the race is finished will you know who it is.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“Like all things new, it was awkward at first, until I got accustomed to it.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“if the emotional person is another man, it is the worst possible catastrophe. The societal fabric has been rent. A man would rather be shot by a firing squad than to break down in front of his fellows, and to witness such a breakdown is almost as bad a breach of decorum as to break down oneself.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“Some find the institution of marriage to be a form of tyranny not unlike slavery. Most of us at the Charity Organization Society feel that way. We do not need a man to become whole individuals. We are scholars and freethinkers, Mr. Llewelyn. We refuse to be put on a pedestal but instead hope to help bring about social change.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“Are you private, or are you in fact working for Scotland Yard?” “Neither. I am a social investigator.” “I see,” I said, though to be frank, I didn’t. “I don’t suppose that pays very well.” “Nothing at all, actually, but it’s very important. That’s why I am working in the East End. I wish to know why the greatest empire in history cannot feed, clothe, or shelter many of its people. I wonder why the mistakes and attitudes of one generation are doomed to be repeated in the next and why the arrival of a people with a rich and ancient culture such as the Jews inspires fear and loathing among an otherwise sensible people.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy

“It’s strange what goes through one’s mind during a dangerous situation. In a moment, the fellow could be gutting our clerk and then my employer would be sure to shoot the man dead, but all I could do was stare in fascination at the officer’s mustache. It was a deep, fiery red, waxed in the shape of a “W,” and it quivered when he shouted.”
― Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy