"—but," Channing finished for her, "you can thank the good Lord that Bishop Berkeley was no pagan and saved himself and the rest of us from that way of thinking. Sure, to be is to be perceived. Maybe nothing does exist unless it's being perceived, but that's where God comes in. God is the constant conserver, he said. God is always looking at everything. So everything always exists."
"But the Targoffians are atheists, dear," Ellen pointed out with exasperating logic. "You may turn around now."
Channing turned around and glared at her.
"You see, it works. I don't know what you're getting so mad about."
"Then I'll tell you. What would happen if I went on eating meals like that for a couple of weeks."
"You'd lose weight, dear. You'd fit into that bathing suit I bought you for our third anniversary."
"I'm serious, damnit."
"You'd be awful hungry. You'd suffer from malnutrition. But the concentrates come along with the food cabinet."
"Forget about the food cabinet. You're going to get rid of it tomorrow. I want to ask you something else. Who did Fanny marry?"
"She didn't yet. She's getting married on Saturday, she said."