Fallible humanity must have its weaknesses and poor human life its disasters, and where these are mighty and inevitable, what folly is greater than to fly from them or to truckle to them, to make terms with them?
Our duty is simply to endure them, to endure them--that's it, old friend." There was no answer that Sim could make to this.

Ralph was speaking to the companion who rode by his side; but in fact he seemed to be addressing himself.
"And to see a man buy a reprieve from Death!" he continued.

"Never do that--never?
Did you ever think of it, Sim, that what happens is always the best ?" "It scarce looks like it, Ralph; that it don't." "Then it's because you don't look long enough.

In the end, it is _always_ the best that happens.

Truth and the right are the last on the field; it always has been so, and always will be; it only needs that you should wait to the close of the battle to see _that_." There would have been a sublime solemnity in these rude words of a rude man of action if Sim had divined that they were in fact the meditations of one who believed himself to be already under the shadow of his death.
* * * * * The horses broke again into a canter, and it was long before the reins of the riders brought them to another pause.