"More?" answered Mr. Colville. "What could you wish me to say more?"
"Mr. Colville, your words, complimentary as they might be if you were speaking of a man, are but an insult—an insult to Him in whom is life,[[23]] and who is the brightness of the Father's glory.[[24]] I cannot bear them!"
She would have passed on, but Colville detained her.
"My dear Madam, you entirely mistake. Suffer me but to show you"—
"Sir, I shall speak with you no more. 'He that biddeth you God-speed is the partaker of your evil deeds.'"[[25]]
And Celia made her way through the rooms and gained her own boudoir without another word to any one. But she had not been there for five minutes before Philip followed her.
"Upon my word, Celia!" said he, laughing, "I had no idea what an amount of undeveloped soldiery there was under that quiet manner of yours. You have fairly rendered Colville speechless—a state of things I never saw before. I beg to congratulate the successful general on the victory!"
"Philip, how can you like that odious man?"
"Well, my dear," responded Philip, "I am beginning rather to wonder at it myself. He has become insipid latterly. I used to think him a very ingenious fellow; I am beginning to suspect that he is only a showy donkey!"
"He is an Atheist," said Celia, in a tone of horror.