--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is a very grave matter, punishable…" description: "\"This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do not exactly know what, but something rather severe, I should imagine.\" — Susanna Clarke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png" --- # This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do… ![“This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do not exactly know what, but something rather severe, I should imagine.” quote by Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png) > “This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do not exactly know what, but something rather severe, I should imagine.” [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges a serious offense but admits uncertainty about its exact nature, implying severe consequences. **In simple terms:** Someone knows a serious crime is punishable but isn’t sure of the exact penalty. Key Takeaway Clarify the wrongdoing and seek appropriate counsel. Themes justice uncertainty severity Mood uncertain anxious Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - legal advice - personal confession - risk assessment Key Concepts law ethics accountability Questions to Reflect On - What is the exact nature of the offense? - How can one determine appropriate consequences? A Different Perspective The statement is vague, making it hard to act on. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Hey police? I just saw the world's oldest, slowest kid climbing into Pleasantview Cemetery. Looked like he was dying to get in. 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"I believe some poeple are luckier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-believe-in-luck-ludlow-i-had-thought-about-this-more-than-once/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [That's wisdom you can take to the grave, and dig up when you need it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-wisdom-you-can-take-to-the-grave-and-dig-up-when-you-need-it/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [I changed it. I had to. Do you know why?" She studied him, her eyes grave. "Because that was then and this is now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-changed-it-i-had-to-do-you-know-why-she-studied-him-her-eyes-grave/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The grave and the image are equally links with the irrecoverable and symbols for the unimaginable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-grave-and-the-image-are-equally-links-with-the-irrecoverable-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can run from the grave, but you can't hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/you-can-run-from-the-grave-but-you-can-t-hide/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) Philip Alston Browse all 1,727 Graves quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do not exactly know what, but something rather severe, I should imagine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susanna Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-by-well-i-do-not-exactly-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Graves" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-by-well-i-do-not-exactly-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/susanna-clarke-1559_graves_this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-b_2916162.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is a very grave matter, punishable by...well, I do not exactly know what, but something rather severe…” — Susanna Clarke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Susanna Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is a very grave matter,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-by-well-i-do-not-exactly-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/this-is-a-very-grave-matter-punishable-by-well-i-do-not-exactly-know/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```