It's another trolley problem type thing; if you don't give him the sword you're obviously taking a side and just letting him die but you can pretend that you're not responsible; if you give him the sword you're in some sense "responsible" for whatever happens next, mainly that one of those two people is probably going to get killed. You're responsible in either instance, but it's easier to delude yourself you're not in the first.
It's another trolley problem type thing; if you don't give him the sword you're obviously taking a side and just letting him die but you can pretend that you're not responsible; if you give him the sword you're in some sense "responsible" for whatever happens next, mainly that one of those two people is probably going to get killed. You're responsible in either instance, but it's easier to delude yourself you're not in the first.