"Perhaps because, Mary, you thought he had a feeling for you that—"
"No, it wasn't that! He hasn't—it isn't that at all!"
Disturbed, distressed, she got up.
"Wait a minute, Mary.... I wish you would talk to him about it," said the doctor in his most serious tone.
"But, why? Why should I?"
"Why? Because it's a most important thing to you, and mixed up with everything, or should be. Because you shouldn't keep your religion separate from your marriage. Because you shouldn't shut Laurence out from everything."
"I shut him out?"
"Now you do as I tell you, Mary," said the doctor quietly.
He sat looking out of the window, feeling her bewilderment and silent revolt. He hesitated whether he should tell Mary that he thought her religion erotic in origin and her feeling for the minister very personal indeed, but finally decided against it. She would deny it not only to him but to herself—women's minds were made like that. At last he said:
"I think at first you were in love with Laurence—but four years is a long time, and you were very young."