We three, of differing degrees of agnosticism, looked at her, struck with the boldness of the thought. It was Magnus who broke out:
“Yes, horrible! Death is horrible!”
“That, Monsieur, is because you have not seen how men die: you are frightened by the mystery of the thing you do not know. And—perhaps, in a man like you, you see only your own death—do you not?”
Magnus stared at her. From the first he had been strongly attracted to her and never failed in deference.
“What can you know of such a thing?” he asked incredulously.
“Men have died by the hundreds about me.”
“You?”
She nodded.
“You have nursed in the Red Cross?”
“Yes. I do not like to speak of myself. I only mention it because we are discussing things seriously. Yes, I have seen men die by the hundreds. Monsieur Magnus, I have listened to many things you have said, and I wish to tell you where you are wrong, and where all your doctrines will fall down. All you think of is to avoid suffering.”