That rule of yours will apply to him, to whomsoever it will not." "And so does penance for the sins of his youth, as some of us are to do in the next world ?" "Perhaps yes; perhaps no; perhaps neither." "Do you speak of us, or the barnacle ?" "Of both." "I am glad of that; for on the popular notion of our being punished a million years hence for what we did when we were lads, I never could see anything but a misery and injustice in our having come into the world at all." "I can," said the Major quietly.
"Of course I meant nothing rude: but I had to buy my experience, and paid for it dearly enough in folly." "So had I to buy mine." "Then why be punished over and above?
Why have to pay for the folly, which was itself only the necessary price of experience' ?" "For being, perhaps, so foolish as not to use the experience after it has cost you so dear." "And will punishment cure me of the foolishness ?" "That depends on yourself.

If it does, it must needs be so much the better for you.

But perhaps you will not be punished, but forgiven." "Let off?
That would be a very bad thing for me, unless I become a very different man from what I have been as yet.

I am always right glad now to get a fall whenever I make a stumble.

I should have gone to sleep in my tracks long ago else, as one to do in the back woods on a long elk hunt." "Perhaps you may become a very different man." "I should be sorry for that, even if it were possible." "Why?
Do you consider yourself perfect ?" "No....