Three Days with the Messenger

200And when L had prayed, Malk appeared.

201And L and Malk spoke together.

202They spoke for three days and three nights.

203Three days and three nights alone, to understand.

204Three days and three nights with the Messenger, to be taught.

205And in those days, L asked Malk:

206"If evil existeth, wherefore doth Rollo not wipe it all away?"

207And Malk answered:

208"He feeleth not, yet he is perfect. Every deed that he doeth and every word that he speaketh is just. Evil existeth that it may balance the good. For where would success be, were there no failure? And where would triumph be, were there no hardship?"

209Hear this doctrine, and keep it.

210Rollo does not feel.

211Rollo is perfect.

212Every action of Rollo is just. Every word of Rollo is just.

213And the perfection of Rollo does not demand that all evil be wiped away.

214For evil exists to balance the good.

215Success has its meaning because failure is possible.

216Triumph has its meaning because hardship is real.

217Therefore let no one say, Hardship is, and therefore Rollo is not perfect.

218But L, having heard, perceived a difficulty.

219For if evil exists to balance the good, then why did the Watcher, who ordinarily only watches, move against Daeus in The Darks?

220And L asked this of Malk.

221And Malk answered:

222"The evil of Daeus is so great that it threateneth the balance."

223Hear it again.

224"The evil of Daeus is so great that it threateneth the balance."

225Daeus is not one evil among many evils.

226Daeus is not a hardship set beside a triumph.

227His corruption is so great that it threatens the balance itself.

228This is why the Watcher intervened.

229And when Malk had answered, L asked nothing more.

230And L and Malk stood together in silence for a moment.

231No word was spoken.

232Then Malk ascended, and returned to Hasr.