His letter sounded harder than it need for this reason; seemed to have been written in antagonism rather than in grief, and so did injustice to his feeling.
"MY DEAR MERCY,--It is always a mistake for people to try to impose their own standards of right and wrong on others.

It gives me very great pain to wound you in any way, you know that; and to wound you in such a way as this gives me the greatest possible pain.

But I cannot make your conscience mine.

If this money had not seemed to me to be justly my own, I should never have thought of taking it.

As it does seem to me to be justly my own, your believing it to be another's ought not to change my action.
If I had only my own future to consider, I might give it up, for the sake of your peace of mind.