"I feel sure that it will have no interest for you. It is one of the latest infidel attacks upon the Bible."
"O, you are afraid to have me read it."
"Yes; but not for the reasons implied in your tone."
"Don't you see that you are taking the very course to awaken my curiosity, and to make me wish to hear just that book? If you had said, 'Certainly, I'll read it to you, but you won't like it, for it's only a dry, heavy book upon a heavy subject,' I would never have looked into it, but would have asked for something else."
"That would hardly be true, Miss Marsden. Though I regard it as an evil and dangerous book, it is exceedingly clever, and well written, and it is quite popular in some circles. I suppose it has been sent up to Aunt Marchmont with other new books of note."
"I must certainly read it, since you won't read it to me. Forbid a child to do a thing, you know, and you have given the strongest motive for doing just that thing."
"You are not a child, Miss Marsden."
"What am I, then?"
"I hardly know; but you are capable of realizing one's best ideal, almost."
"Almost! thank you."