“Go to, Mistress Edith!” saith she. “‘All the proof of a pudding is in the eating.’”
“I am sure of that pudding,” saith Milisent.
“These rash young women!” maketh answer Aunt Joyce. “When thou hast lived fifty or sixty years in this world, my good maid, thou wilt be a trifle less sure of most things. None be so sure that a box is white of all sides as they that have seen but one. When thou comest to the second, and findest it painted grey, thou wilt not be so ready to swear that the third may not be red.”
“But we can be sure of some things, at any years, Aunt,” saith Milly.
“Canst thou so?” saith Aunt Joyce. “Ah, child, thou hast not yet been down into many deep places. So long as a goat pulls not at his tether, he may think the whole world lieth afore him when he hath but half-a-dozen yards. Let him come to pull, and he will find how short it is. There be places, Milly, where a man may get to, that he can be sure of nothing in all the universe save God. And thou shalt not travel far, neither, to come to the end of that cord.”
“O Aunt Joyce, I do never love to hear such talk as that!” saith Milly. “It causeth one feel so poor and mean.”
“Then it causeth thee feel what thou art,” saith she. “’Tis good for a man to find, at times, how little he can do.”
“It may be good, but ’tis mighty displeasant,” quoth Milisent.
“’Tis very well when it be no worse than displeasant,” Aunt Joyce makes answer. “I thought of places, Milly, which were not displeasant, but awful—where the human soul feels nigh to being shut up in the blackness of darkness for ever. Thou wist little of such things yet. But most souls which be permitted to soar high aloft be made likewise to descend deep down. David went deep enough—may-be deeper than any other save Christ. Look you, he was appointed to write the Psalter. Throughout all the ages coming, of his words was the Church to serve her when she should come into deep places. There must be somewhat therein for every Christian soul, and every Jewish belike, ere Christ came. And to do that, I reckon David had need to go very deep down. He that shall help a man to climb forth of a well must know whereto the water reacheth, and on which side the steps be. List him—‘Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord!’ ‘I am come into deep places, where the floods overflow me.’”
“But, Aunt,” said I, yet was I something feared to say it, “was not that hard on David? It scarce seems just that he should have to go through all those cruel troubles for our good.”