She felt as if he were reading her inmost soul, and for the moment she was willing that he should. No other argument would be of any weight in such a discussion as this.
He dropped his eyes, half ashamed of his vehemence. "No need to tell me that," he said hurriedly. "I am used to reading women's faces. I have been searching yours all evening for the hard lines that must be there, but there is not a trace that is not perfectly womanly. And yet I cannot understand it! From the very nature of your work you must revel in scenes of horror."
"That I am sure we don't!" said Mona warmly. She would have laughed if they had both been less in earnest. "You don't say that of all the noble nurses who have had to face scenes of horror."
"But you must become blunted, if you are to be of any use."
"I don't think blunted is the word. It is extremely true, as some one says, that pity becomes transformed from an emotion into a motive."
He seemed to be weighing this.
"You dissect?" he said presently.
"Yes."
"Think of that alone! It is human butchery."
"Of course you must know that I do not look upon it in that light."