Affair Quote by Cornell Woolrich
““She had signed her own death-warrant. He kept telling himself over and over that he was not to blame, she had brought it on herself. He had never seen the man. He knew there was one. He had known for six weeks now. Little things had told him. One day he came home and there was a cigar-butt in an ashtray, still moist at one end, still warm at the other. There were gasoline-drippings on the asphalt in front of their house, and they didn't own a car. And it wouldn't be a delivery-vehicle, because the drippings showed it had stood there a long time, an hour or more. And once he had actually glimpsed it, just rounding the far corner as he got off the bus two blocks down the other way. A second-hand Ford. She was often very flustered when he came home, hardly seemed to know what she was doing or saying at all. He pretended not to see any of these things; he was that type of man, Stapp, he didn't bring his hates or grudges out into the open where they had a chance to heal. He nursed them in the darkness of his mind. That's a dangerous kind of a man. If he had been honest with himself, he would have had to admit that this mysterious afternoon caller was just the excuse he gave himself, that he'd daydreamed of getting rid of her long before there was any reason to, that there had been something in him for years past now urging Kill, kill, kill. Maybe ever since that time he'd been treated at the hospital for a concussion. ("Three O'Clock")””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “Three O’Clock” by Cornell Woolrich, 1940s
A man rationalizes his murderous thoughts, blaming the victim while hiding his own dark impulses.
In simple terms: He blames the victim for his desire to kill.
Recognize self‑deception and confront inner darkness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- crime investigation
- therapy
- legal defense
- personal introspection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What inner motives do we ignore?
- How can we confront harmful thoughts responsibly?
Denial may prevent accountability and justice.