years his senior."

"That may be so," she answered, "but the little education I have
derives from another epoch.... I am, metaphysically, as unexacting as
the people of your generation. A certain fogless freedom of thought
seemed to me until to-day the highest point of human development."

"And Fritz von Ehrenberg, student of agriculture, has converted you to
a kind of thoughtful religiosity?" he asked, smiling good-naturedly.

In her zeal she wasn't even aware of his irony.

"We're not going to give in so easily.... But it is strange what an
impression is made on one by a current of strong and natural
feeling.... This young fellow comes to me and says: 'There is a God,
for I feel Him and I need Him. Prove the contrary if you can.' ...
Well, so I set about proving the contrary to him. But our poor
negations have become so glib that one has forgotten the reasons for
them. Finally he defeated me along the whole line ... so I sat down at
once and began to study up ... just as one would polish rusty weapons
... Bible criticism and DuBois-Reymond and 'Force and Matter' and all
the things that are traditionally irrefutable."

"And that amuses you?" he asked compassionately.

A theoretical indignation took hold of her that always amused him
greatly.

"Does it amuse me? Are such things proper subjects for amusement?
Surely you must use other expressions, Richard, when one is concerned