Much the same: imprisonment for the attempt, execution for the success. I suspect you will take this response as cause for horror at my unthinkable whatever-you

Much the same: imprisonment for the attempt, execution for the success. I suspect you will take this response as cause for horror at my unthinkable whatever-you-call-it in equating the gravity of a tree spiker's crime with rape and murder. If so, then you will be no less amazed than am I at the idea that the crimes of such saboteurs are of any less gravity than those of anyone else who, lest the nature of tree spiking be forgotten, sets out to maim or murder, or -- hardly less grave, or more permissible -- to use the threat of such mayhem, occurring at random, to enforce their will.