"I am sorry—I would rather not believe it."
"Why?"
"Because it is not right to think such things, nor even to say them in a play."
Ghisleri looked at her in some surprise. Laura felt a sort of impulse of conscience to say what she thought.
"Ah! you are horribly good!" laughed Ghisleri, quoting his own verse.
Laura felt uncomfortable as she met his glance. He really looked very Satanic just then, as his eyebrows went up and the deep lines deepened between his eyes and on his forehead.
"Either one believes or one does not," she said. "If one does—" She hesitated.
"If one does, does it follow that because God is good to you, He has been good to me also, Miss Carlyon?"
His expression changed, and his voice was grave and almost sad. Laura sighed almost inaudibly, but said nothing.
"Will you have anything?" he asked indifferently, after the short pause. "A cup of tea?"