“As I thought,” said No, “for all your specious claims you are harder of heart than I.”
“As acceptance,” said Yes, “must always be harder than refusal and life than death.”
“But,” cried No triumphantly, “you were wrong. Here go you in rags for all your lights, and here ride I in purple for all my shadows.”
“I was wrong,” said Yes, “because I was young. I did not see that I must accept you and your shadows with the rest. I was fighting not against you but against myself when I would not accept as part of myself the great refusal.”
“What!” cried No, deeply mortified and inwardly afraid, “beggar that you are, do you dare to claim that you have won?”
“I only know,” said Yes gently, “that there is no victory.”
“You canting hypocrite,” cried No, “you do not know how to take a licking.”
“It is because I do,” said Yes, “that there cannot be victory or defeat. For if the fight were ended where would you be, where I?”
“There is something in that,” said No disconsolately; “but if it be true, why should you fight? Let us make an eternal peace!”