The Hearth and Eagle

by Anya Seton

Most o’ the harm done in this life comes from not facing up to things, seems to me.”

As you got older it took a mighty bad thing to seem tragic, or even exasperating; more and more you learned you couldn’t run life or even people, just sit back and be amused.

But people didn’t change much inside, while their bodies did. The only thing that really vanished was passion. It was a pity other emotions did not vanish with it. Yearning and regret and the capacity for humiliation.

“But why? It doesn’t seem fair. You can see she was a wonderful person. Why couldn’t she be happy too? Why can’t we all stay happy!” Ah, I forget how young she is, thought Hesper. Why do we all have to start with rebellion, and frantic strivings? How long it takes to get ever the sentimental delusion of “fairness.”