sical Dictionary," could deal confidently with any subject;
but when taken unawares it had been known to define
agnosticism as a heresy of the Early Church and Profes-
sor Froude as a distinguished histologist; and such minor
members as Mrs. Leveret still secretly regarded ethics as
something vaguely pagan.
Even to Mrs. Ballinger, Osric Dane's question was unset-
tling, and there was a general sense of gratitude when
Laura Glyde leaned forward to say, with her most sym-
pathetic accent: "You must excuse us, Mrs. Dane, for not
being able, just at present, to talk of anything but 'The
Wings of Death.'"
"Yes," said Miss Van Vluyck, with a sudden resolve to
carry the war into the enemy's camp. "We are so anxious
to know the exact purpose you had in mind in writing
your wonderful book."
"You will find," Mrs. Plinth interposed, "that we are not
superficial readers."
"We are eager to hear from you," Miss Van Vluyck con-
tinued, "if the pessimistic tendency of the book is an ex-
pression of your own convictions or—"
"Or merely," Miss Glyde thrust in, "a sombre background
brushed in to throw your figures into more vivid relief. Are
you not primarily plastic?"
"I have always maintained," Mrs. Ballinger interposed,
"that you represent the purely objective method—"
Osric Dane helped herself critically to coffee. "How do
HYLAND
