"You would approve of that because it pleases your eye and soothes your
senses, yet you know that all womankind is not slim and graciou--that
all life is not lived in boudoirs."

"Neither is man all beast."

"Ah, that is it! If we are to be students of human nature we must not be
swayed in one direction or the other; and that is the difficulty--to be
dispassionate. Sometimes it is--very difficult!"

It came with a charm indescribable, this sudden admission of weakness,
accompanied by a deprecating, pleading glance, and the Irishman was
filled with a sudden sense of having recovered something personal and
precious.

"What are you?" he cried. "It's my turn to seek the truth now. What are
you, you incomprehensible being?"

The boy laughed, the old careless, light-hearted laugh of the creature
infinitely free.

"Do not ask! Do not ask!" he said. "A riddle is only interesting while
it is unsolved."




CHAPTER VI