“Please listen,” I said. “You know, do you not, that anyone who poisons himself with nicotine, more particularly with alcohol, is severely treated by the United State?”

Dark brows raised high to the temples, the sharp mocking triangle.

“ ‘It is more reasonable to annihilate a few than to allow many to poison themselves.⁠ ⁠… And degeneration,’⁠ ⁠… etc. ⁠ ⁠… This is true to the point of indecency.”

“Indecency?”