"O my dear Mrs. Masters!" cried Mrs. Brandt, running in,—"here you are. I was looking for you.—I came to ask—shall I order the landau for five o'clock, to drive to the lake?"
Diana was glad to have the conversation broken up. When the hour for the drive came, and she sank into the luxurious, satiny depths of the landau, her thoughts involuntarily recurred to it. The carriage was so very comfortable! It rolled smoothly along, over good roads, drawn by well-trotting horses; the motion was delightful. Diana's thoughts rolled on too. Suddenly Mr. Brandt leaned over towards her.
"Is this carriage a 'worldly' indulgence, Mrs. Masters?"
Diana started. "I don't know," she said.
"Ah," said the other, laughing at her startled face,—"I am glad to see that even you may have a doubt on that subject. You cannot blame less etherealized persons, like my wife and me, if we go on contentedly, with no doubts."
"But you mistake me,"—said Diana.
"You said, you did not know."
"Because I don't know you."
"What has that to do with it?"
"If I knew you well, Mr. Brandt, I should know whether this carriage is the Lord's or not."