"Yes," came the voice. "I meant it. Why?"
And the voice was so simple and so sincere that it pierced straight to her heart and changed her secret mood swiftly to the religious, so that she really was occupied by the thoughts with which, a moment previously, she had only pretended to be occupied; and the splendour of the revelation was renewed. Nevertheless, some impulse, perverse or defensive, compelled her to assume a doubt of his assurance. She suspected that, had she not adopted this tactic, she might have melted before him in gratitude.
"You did?" she murmured.
She thanked him, after that, rather coldly; and they talked a little about the mere worry of these religious questions. He protested that they never worried him, and reaffirmed his original proposition.
"I hope you are right," she said softly, in a thrilled voice. She was thinking that this was the most wonderful, miraculous experience that she had ever had.
V
Silence.
"Now," she thought, "I must go back." Inwardly she gave a delicious sigh.
But just as she was about to take her prim leave, the scarce-discerned figure of her companion stepped out into the garden.
"By Jove!" said Edwin Clayhanger. "It's beginning to rain, I do believe."