She looked at me. “You’re an assassin, aren’t you? When…
““She looked at me. “You’re an assassin, aren’t you? When there are rumors the government has someone on the payroll, they’re talking about you, right?” I let out a long exhalation. “Something like that.” There was a pause. Then she asked, “How many people have you killed?” My eyes moved to my glass. “I don’t know.” “I’m not talking about Vietnam. Since then.” “I don’t know,” I said again. “Don’t you think that’s too many?” The mildness of her voice made the question worse. “I don’t… I have rules. No women. No children. No acts against nonprincipals.” The words echoed flatly in my ears like a moron’s mantra, talismanic sounds suddenly stripped of their animating magic. She laughed without mirth. “ ‘I have rules.’ You sound like a whore who wants credit for virtue because she won’t kiss the clients she fucks.” It stung. But I took it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
An assassin claims strict personal rules against harming women and children, yet the conversation reveals moral ambiguity and self‑justification.
In simple terms: Assassin’s code is challenged by moral contradictions.
Key Takeaway
Question personal ethics when they conflict with actions.
Themes
ethics
violence
morality
rules
self‑justification
Mood
tense
introspective
Type
fictional
psychological
When to use this quote
- character study
- ethical debate
- writing exercises
Key Concepts
code of conduct
cognitive dissonance
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you have rules that conflict with reality?
- How do you reconcile them?
A Different Perspective
Self‑justification may mask deeper issues.