that their destiny needs must
obey. The life of most men will be saddened or lightened by the thing
that may chance to befall them--in the men whom I speak of, whatever
may happen is lit up by their inward life. When you love, it is not
your love that forms part of your destiny; but the knowledge of self
that you will have found, deep down in your love--this it is that will
help to fashion your life. If you have been deceived, it is not the
deception that matters, but the forgiveness whereto it gave birth in
your soul, and the loftiness, wisdom, completeness of this
forgiveness--by these shall your life be steered to destiny's haven of
brightness and peace; by these shall your eyes see more clearly than if
all men had ever been faithful. But if, by this act of deceit, there
have come not more simpleness, loftier faith, wider range to your love,
then have you been deceived in vain, and may truly say nothing has
happened.

10. Let us always remember that nothing befalls us that is not of the
nature of ourselves. There comes no adventure but wears to our soul the
shape of our everyday thoughts; and deeds of heroism are but offered to
those who, for many long years, have been heroes in obscurity and
silence. And whether you climb up the mountain or go down the hill to
the valley, whether you journey to the end of the world or merely walk
round your house, none but yourself shall you meet on the highway of
fate. If Judas go forth to-night, it is towards Judas his steps will
tend, nor will chance for betrayal be lacking; but let Socrates open
his door, he shall find Socrates asleep on the threshold before him,
and there will be occasion for wisdom. Our adventures hover around us
like bees round the hive when preparing to swarm. They wait till the
mother-idea has at last come forth from our soul, and no sooner has she
appeared than they all come rushing towards her. Be false, and
falsehoods will haste to you; love, and adventures will flock to you,
throbbing with love. They seem to be all on the watch for the signal we
hoist from within: and if the soul grow wiser towards evening, the
sorrow will grow wiser too that the soul had fashioned for itself in
the morning.

11. No great inner event befalls those who summon it not; and yet is
there germ of great inner event in the smallest occurrence of life. But
events such as these are apportioned by justice, and to each man is
given of the spoil in accord with his merits. We beco