But the moment of his consent almost escaped his notice

[soso]

On temptation

This was the first thing () Mark had been asked to do //which he himself, before he did it, clearly knew to be criminal.

But the moment of his consent almost escaped his notice;

certainly, there was no struggle, no sense of turning a corner. 

There may have been a time in the world’s history /when such moments fully revealed their gravity, 

with witches /prophesying on a blasted heath or visible Rubicons to be crossed. 

But, for him, it all slipped /past /in a chatter of laughter, of that intimate laughter between fellow professionals,

which of all earthly powers is strongest to make men do very bad things /before they are yet, individually, very bad men.

From That Hideous Strength
Compiled in Words to Live By