“Because of your past life,” she went on, “there was something you
couldn’t tell me; and because I didn’t know it I’ve taken a step which my
past life doesn’t allow me to retrace. Could anything be neater?”
“And yet you’re fond of saying that the way things happen is the best
way.”
“It’s the best way if it’s the only way, isn’t it? I should go mad if I
thought that my life hung on nothing but caprice—whether of luck or fate
or anything you call God. I can stand my deserts, however hard, if I know
they’re my deserts.”
“You can stand this?”
“This is not a question of standing; it’s one of working out. Life isn’t
static; it’s dynamic—those are the right words, aren’t they? It’s always
unfolding. One thing leads to the next thing; and then there must be
times when a lot of things that seemed separate are gathered up in one
immense result. Don’t you think it must be that way?”