‘The working people don’t,’ was the reply, ‘except a Dissenting family here and there.’
‘Perhaps that is one explanation of the Sundays being useless to them.’
Adela would scarcely have ventured upon such a tone in reference to any secular matter; the subject being religion, she was of course justified in expressing herself freely.
Mutimer smiled and held back his rejoinder for a moment. By that time Alfred had taken his pipe from his lips and was giving utterance to unmeasured scorn.
‘But, Mr. Mutimer,’ said Mrs. Waltham, waving aside her son’s vehemence, ‘you don’t seriously tell us that the working people have no religion? Surely that would be too shocking!’
‘Yes, I say it seriously, Mrs. Waltham. In the ordinary sense of the word, they have no religion. The truth is, they have no time to think of it.’
‘Oh, but surely it needs no thought—’
Alfred exploded.
‘I mean,’ pursued his mother, ‘that, however busy we are, there must always be intervals to be spared from the world.’
Mutimer again delayed his reply. A look which he cast at Adela appeared to move her to speech.