This speech called forth some merriment.
"You think even the dry remains of pleasure are better than nothing!" said Philip. "Perhaps you are right."
"And to have those, we must have had the green reality," said Lois merrily.
"I wonder if there is any way of keeping pleasure green," said Dillwyn.
"Vain, vain, Mr. Dillwyn!" said Mrs. Barclay. "Tout lasse, tout casse, tout passe! don't you know? Solomon said, I believe, that all was vanity. And he ought to know."
"But he didn't know," said Lois quickly.
"Lois!" said Charity—"it's in the Bible."
"I know it is in the Bible that he said so," Lois rejoined merrily.
"Was he not right, then?" Mr. Dillwyn asked.
"Perhaps," Lois answered, now gravely, "if you take simply his view."