Understanding is often a prelude to forgiveness, but they are not the same, and we often forgive what we cannot understand (seeing nothing else to do) and understand what we cannot pardon.
Source: The Writing on the Wall and Other Literary Essays
-- Mary McCarthy, (Jun 21 1912-1989), US novelist, critic; She was noted for witty acerbic novels and writings about art and politics; wrote The Company She Keeps, 1942 and How I Grew, 1987.