Viewed from a natural standpoint the whole arrangement was not only natural but praiseworthy. That a woman, fond of a natural life in the open air, should leave a creature like George du Telle, and cast herself into the arms of a man like Leslie. What could be more in keeping with the grand aim of Nature, the propagation of the fit in body?
Viewed from a social standpoint the whole arrangement was wickedly absurd. And from a moral standpoint simply wicked.
Nature stood decidedly on Leslie’s side; God (according to the theologians) and society stood against him.
These problems are occurring every day and every minute of the day, perplexing the thinker and confounding his belief, unless he looks upon the world as a higher thing than a breeding ground for animals. And it is generally by their side issues they are to be solved, and the side issue in Leslie’s case was Campanula.
He was nearing Danjuro’s shop when he saw a riksha with a disguised figure in it.
It was Mac, and Mac was disguised with whisky.
He was flushed, and his hat was on the back of his head, and he was so obviously fuddled that the gentle Japanese who passed smiled and passed on, without looking back.
“Stop!” cried Leslie to his man, then jumping out he ran to M’Gourley’s riksha, which had also stopped.
“Have you heard the news?”
“News?” said Mac. “News—what news?”