And what have you laymen made of hell? A kind of penal servitude for eternity, on the lines of your convict prisons on earth, to which you condemn in advance all the wretched felons your police have hunted from the beginning -- enemies of society, as you call them. You're kind enough to include the blasphemers and the profane. What proud or reasonable man could stomach such a notion of God's justice? And when you find that notion inconvenient it's easy enough for you to put it on one side. Hell is not to love any more, Madame. Not to love any more!

Summary

This quote questions the conventional understanding of hell held by "laymen." It criticizes the notion that hell is merely a place of eternal punishment resembling earthly prisons. The quote highlights the unjust condemnation of individuals by society, labeling them as enemies and criminals. It questions the fairness of a punishment where even blasphemers and the profane are included. Ultimately, the quote argues that hell is not fire and brimstone, but rather the absence of love - a concept that challenges the traditional understanding of divine justice.

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