"Nevertheless, father regrets that you cling to such an unsafe guide."
"He is worthy of my trust. Conscientiously hunting only for truth, he admonishes his students:
"'Hath man no second life?
Pitch this one high!'
"To a young man groping in the mist of agnosticism, he repeated the declaration of one of the most subtle scientific thinkers of this century: 'That he had scrutinized every agnostic hypothesis he knew of, and found that they one and all needed a God to make them workable.'
"I wish I could respect myself as I respect and honor my friend. Eglah, knowing your reticent nature, I am perhaps presumptuous in taking a rash step. There is some trouble that annoys you. Before I go away for such a long, uncertain absence, will you trust me? I may not be able to remove the burden, but I should be glad to share it. Can you tell me what distresses you?"
She looked at him steadily, then away at the brooding water, where voices of the night had begun to croon.
"Mr. Noel, let us go back; the boat is at the terrace."
When they reached the stone stile, she said:
"Do you know why father resigned the senatorship?"
"He has not confided his reasons to me."