But the only way to combine piety, cowardice, cynicism, and recklessness is to hit him from both sides.
It's impossible to combine piety, cowardice, cynicism and recklessness. 
mnli hypothesis: It's impossible to combine piety, cowardice, cynicism and recklessness.  premise: But the only way to combine piety, cowardice, cynicism, and recklessness is to hit him from both sides.