smile. "I am not in any way connected with the Church. I am a
doctor of laws and literature,--a humble student of philosophy and
science generally..."

"Philosophy! Science!" interrupted Gervase. "And you ask about
God! Parbleu! Science and philosophy have progressed beyond Him!"

"Exactly!" and Dr. Dean rubbed his hands together pleasantly.
"That is your opinion? Yes, I thought so! Science and philosophy,
to put it comprehensively, have beaten poor God on His own ground!
Ha! ha! ha! Very good--very good! And humorous as well! Ha! ha!"

And a very droll appearance just then had this "humble student of
philosophy and science generally," for he bent himself to and fro
with laughter, and his small eyes almost disappeared behind his
shelving brows in the excess of his mirth. And two crosslines
formed themselves near his thin mouth--such lines as are carven on
the ancient Greek masks which indicate satire.

Denzil Murray flushed uncomfortably.

"Gervase doesn't believe in anything but Art," he said, as though
half apologizing for his friend: "Art is the sole object of his
existence; I don't believe he ever has time to think about
anything else."

"Of what else should I think, mon ami?" exclaimed Gervase
mirthfully. "Of life? It is all Art to me; and by Art I mean the
idealization and transfiguration of Nature."