"By constantly meeting with men—and women."
"You mean that all the honest people you have met with are dull?"
"Pardon me, I am not sure I have ever met with an honest man. But I have met with those who are called honest, and——"
The girl looked at him steadily. She was not sure whether he was in earnest. It is true his face was perfectly serious, and yet she thought she detected a mocking tone in his voice.
"Children, for example," she said. "The most interesting children are those who are least self-conscious. The moment they become self-conscious and begin to act a part they cease to be attractive."
"Then you think that all but children are dull?"
"Why do you say so?"
"Because all grown-up people are acting a part."
"Again, are we not still on the surface?"
"No, we are down very deep. We are considering life. Life is simply acting a part. Why we act the parts we do is difficult to tell. Only I have noticed this: in life, as on the stage, those who elect to act the part of the good honest person are invariably dull. It is your villain who interests, and your villain who does the daring things—except in melodrama," he added quickly.