She clenched her hand where it rested on the table, and he saw her face flushed and altered by the fire within. Then she smiled and leaned back in her chair.
“In you,” she said gaily, “dwells a god. In me a goddess,––a joyous one,––a divine thing that laughs,––a complete and free divinity that is gay and tender, that is incapable of tyranny, that loves all things both, great and small, that exists to serve––freely, not for reward––that owes allegiance and obedience only to the divine and eternal law within its own godhead. And that law is the law of love.... And that is my substitute for the scheme of things. Could you subscribe?”
After a silence he quoted: “Could you and I with Him conspire–––”
She nodded: “‘To grasp this sorry scheme of things entire–––’ But there is no ‘Him.’ It’s you and I.... Both divine.... Suppose we grasp it and ‘shatter it to bits.’ Shall we?”
“‘And then remould it nearer to the heart’s desire?’”
“Remould it nearer to the logic of common sense.”
Neither spoke for a few moments. Then she drew a swift, smiling breath.
“We’re getting on rather rapidly, aren’t we?” she said. “Did you expect to lunch with such a friendly, human girl? And will you now take her to inspect this modest house which you hope may suit her, and which, she most devoutly hopes may suit her, too?”
“This has been a perfectly delightful day,” he said as they rose.