“I pray you, pull bridle there, Mistress Blanche,” said Mr Tremayne, smiling; “for you have raised already four weighty points, the which may not be expounded in a moment. I take them, an’ it like you, not justly in your order, but rather in the order wherein they do affect each other. And first, under your good pleasure,—what is prayer?”
Blanche was about to reply at once, when it struck her that the question involved more than she supposed. She would have answered,—“Why, saying my prayers:” but the idea came to her, Was that prayer? And she felt instinctively that, necessarily, it was not. She thought a moment, and then answered slowly;—
“I would say that it is to ask somewhat with full desire to obtain the same.”
“Is that all?” replied Mr Tremayne.
Blanche thought so.
“Methinks there is more therein than so. For it implieth, beyond this, full belief that he whom you shall ask,—firstly, can hear you; secondly, is able to grant you; thirdly, is willing to grant you.”
“Surely the saints be willing to pray for us!”
“How know you they can hear us?”
Blanche thought, and thought, and could find no reason for supposing it.
“Again, how know you they can grant us?”