“A mosquito,” Nathaniel said, imagining, as was his wont, all that was to come—his beloved daughter’s long battle with malaria devolving into meningitis, then typhus, leaving her physically and mentally compromised, indeed mad for the rest of her life. And all of it his fault, because he was so keen to come to Italy, his long dreamed of Italy, though he knew the dangers. He took a risk and lost, but he knew he was just as likely to lose not taking risks. There was no avoiding loss. Tragedy came for everyone sooner or later.
Source : The Hawthornes Visit the Colosseum
