Quotation from: The Little Lady of the Big House

Written by: Jack London

"I call him my Rock of Ages," Paula said gratefully. "He is so solid.
He stands in any storm.--Oh, you don't really know him. He is so sure.
He stands right up. He's never taken a cropper in his life. God smiles
on him. God has always smiled on him. He's never been beaten down to
his knees... yet. I... I should not care to see that sight. It would
be heartbreaking. And, Evan--" Her hand went out to his in a pleading
gesture that merged into a half-caress. "--I am afraid for him now.
That is why I don't know what to do. It is not for myself that I back
and fill and hesitate. If he were ignoble, if he were narrow, if he
were weak or had one tiniest shred of meanness, if he had ever been
beaten to his knees before, why, my dear, my dear, I should have been
gone with you long ago."