"I had tried before, from time to time, of course, but never quite as hard as I might have done.

That was where I failed.

When I put myself on one side, and really settled down to do what I could for others, life became much simpler and happier." He turned his grave, patient eyes to Ruth's again.

Was something troubling her?
"I have often thought since then," he went on, speaking more to himself than to her, "that we should consider well what we are keeping back our strength for, if we find ourselves refusing to put the whole of it into our work.

When at last one does start, one feels it is such a pity one did not do it earlier in life.