“Did you ever see one?” asked Paul.
“One Sunday—it was a hot Sunday in July,” related Mr. Wainbridge, “we were going to Lady Blake’s, and Launa said she saw one.”
“One what?” asked Paul.
“One ghost.”
“What did she do?”
“She said it was dead. Are ghosts ‘it’?” inquired Mr. Wainbridge.
“When people die they become ‘it,’ ” said Mr. George. “They cannot—do not love. A man or a woman is neuter when love is over—when it is impossible.”
“They are maligning you, Launa,” said Sylvia, with a smile. A poet had written lines on her smile and called it divine. “Contradict them.”
“I did see a ghost,” she answered.
“Ghosts are indigestion,” said Mr. George slowly. “Have you read the new book, Miss Cooper?”