could it be that anything was possible?
H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds:
"What does it mean?" he said. "What do these things mean?"
I stared at him and made no answer.
He extended a thin white hand and spoke in almost a complaining tone.
"Why are these things permitted? What sins have we done? The morning service was over, I was walking through the roads to clear my brain for the afternoon, and then -- fire, earthquake, death! As if it were Sodom and Gomorrah! All our work undone, all the work -- What are these Martians?"
"What are we?" I answered, clearing my throat.
p. 107-108.
Those who have escaped the dark and terrible aspects of life will find my brutality, my flash of rage in our final tragedy, easy enough to blame; for they know what is wrong as well as any, but not what is possible to tortured men.
p. 206.