'No, we can't, of course,' said Danton formidably. 'Not finally.
That's all very well, but'--he paused, and nodded, nodding his
round head upward as if towards the inaudible overhead, 'I
suppose he can't HEAR?'

Mr Bethany rose cheerfully. 'All right, Danton; I am afraid you
are exactly what the poor fellow in his delirium solemnly
asseverated. And, jesting apart, it is in delirium that we tell
our sheer, plain, unadulterated truth: you're a nicely covered
sceptic. Personally, I refuse to discuss the matter. Mere dull,
stubborn prejudice; bigotry, if you like. I will only remark just
this--that Mrs Lawford and I, in our inmost hearts, know. You,
my dear Danton, forgive the freedom, merely incredulously grope.
Faith versus Reason--that prehistoric Armageddon. Some day, and a
day not far distant either, Lawford will come back to us. This--
this shutter will be taken down as abruptly as by some
inconceivably drowsy heedlessness of common Nature it has been
put up. He'll win through; and of his own sheer will and courage.
But now, because I ask it, and this poor child here entreats it,
you will say nothing to a living soul about the matter, say, till
Friday? What step-by-step creatures we are, to be sure! I say
Friday because it will be exactly a week then. And what's a
week?--to Nature scarcely the unfolding of a rose. But still,
Friday be it. Then, if nothing has occurred, we will, we shall
HAVE to call a friendly gathering, we shall be compelled to have
a friendly consultation.'

'I'm not, I hope, a brute, Bethany,' said Danton apologetically;
'but, honestly, speaking for myself, simply as a man of the
world, it's a big risk to be taking on--what shall we call it?--