“No; merely an atheist.”
The confession was uttered in such a matter-of-fact tone that Robert was disposed to think she used the word just for the pleasure of startling him. There was, in fact, a barely perceptible glimmer in her eyes as she sat looking straight before her.
“That’s rather dogmatic, isn’t it?” he remarked, smiling. “The word Agnostic is better, I fancy.”
“I believe it comes to very much the same thing,” said Ada. “The new word has been coined principally to save respectability.”
“A motive with which you have small sympathy?”
“None whatever.”
There was a silence between them.
“You play?” Robert asked, Rhoda Meres having risen from the piano.
“Only for my own amusement.”
“Then certainly you play things which I should like to hear. Will you play me something that has a tune in it? I don’t mean to reflect upon Miss Meres’ playing; but my ear is in a rudimentary state. I should be very grateful if you would play something.”