“Friends?” he said. “Is sentimentality all you mean by friendship? What kind of friends can we be?”
The other’s face became suddenly heavy.
“I thought so.”
“John!” cried Percy. “You see that, do you not? How can we pretend anything when you do not believe in God? For I do you the honour of thinking that you do not.”
Francis sprang up.
“Well—-” he snapped. “I could not have believed—I am going.”
He wheeled towards the door.
“John!” said Percy again. “Are you going like this? Can you not shake hands?”
The other wheeled again, with heavy anger in his face.
“Why, you said you could not be friends with me!”