Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/224

 they have one thing in common--their single love in the serving of such a Master; and they rejoice that He ruleth them. No wonder is it, for they could not be at all, did they not serve their Maker.'

Then Philosophy ceased from her singing and said unto me: 'Dost thou now perceive whither this discourse is tending?'

'Tell me,' I answered, 'whither.'

P. I will say this to thee, that every fate is good, whether men think it good or bad.

M. Methinks it may easily be so, though we may at times deem otherwise.

P. There is no doubt that every fate is good that is just and profitable;  for every lot, be it pleasant or unpleasant, cometh to the good man either to constrain him to do better than he did before, or to reward him for having done well before. Again, every lot that befalls the wicked man comes to him also for these two reasons, whether his lot be harsh or a pleasant one. If a hard lot befalls the wicked, then it comes as a reward for his wickedness, or as a rebuke and warning to him not to do it again.

At this I fell to wondering, and said: 'This is most truly just reasoning of thine.'

P. It is as thou sayest;  but I desire, if it please thee, that we should turn for a while to the opinion