"With you, I consider it not altogether a failure," the clergyman answered; then, as an afterthought, "If all Roman Catholics were like you, we would all be Roman Catholics."
"There are many better than I, and a few worse. You must make allowances for the weaknesses of human nature," the priest answered. "Come inside now and play bridge."
"Did you see Desmond O'Connor on your way home?" asked Dr. Marsh.
Molly Healy, from her secluded place, strained her ears to catch her brother's answer.
"Naturally I did," he said. "Desmond is a great man now, a partner in the firm of Jackson and Company, and coining money, they tell me."
With this he intended to content them, but Dr. Marsh asked, inquisitively:
"Did you bring him back to your Church?"
"I did not try. There are seasons to speak and seasons to say nothing. It was not the time to argue with him."
"Why not the time? You could have put him on the broad of his back," said Dr. Marsh.
"To what purpose? I was not there to quarrel with him. The boy will come round.... Let us get to bridge!"