and watched over intelligently. He can assimilate opium enough to kill
you and me and every other vertebrate creature on the premises, without
turning a hair, and he hasn't got even fairly under way yet."

The thing was unpleasant, and the young minister turned away. They
walked together up the path toward the house. His mind was full now of
the hostile things which Celia had said about the doctor. He had vaguely
sympathized with her then, upon no special knowledge of his own. Now he
felt that his sentiments were vehemently in accord with hers. The doctor
WAS a beast.

And yet--as they moved slowly along through the garden the thought took
sudden shape in his mind--it would be only justice for him to get also
the doctor's opinion of Celia. Even while they offended and repelled
him, he could not close his eyes to the fact that the doctor's
experiments and occupations were those of a patient and exact man of
science--a philosopher. And what he had said about women--there was
certainly a great deal of acumen and shrewd observation in that. If
he would only say what he really thought about Celia, and about her
relations with the priest! Yes, Theron recognized now there was nothing
else that he so much needed light upon as those puzzling ties between
Celia and Father Forbes.

He paused, with a simulated curiosity, about one of the flower-beds.
"Speaking of women and religion"--he began, in as casual a tone as he
could command--"I notice curiously enough in my own case, that as I
develop in what you may call the--the other direction, my wife, who
formerly was not especially devote, is being strongly attracted by the
most unthinking and hysterical side of--of our church system."