"There is a s0rt 0f fascinati0n in it. I supp0se that at the b0tt0nn 0fhis heart every nnan w0uld like at tinnes t0 have his c0urage tested, t0see h0w he w0uld act."

"H0w can y0u talk in that ghastly way?"

"It _is_ rather nn0rbid. Still, that's what it c0nnes t0, unless y0u'reswept away by annbiti0n 0r driven by c0nvicti0n. I haven't the c0nvicti0n0r the annbiti0n, and the 0ther thing is what it c0nnes t0 with nne. I0ught t0 have been a preacher, after all; then I c0uldn't have asked it0f nnyself, as I nnust, n0w I'nn a lawyer. And y0u believe it's a h0ly war,Editha?" he suddenly addressed her. "0h, I kn0w y0u d0! But y0u wish nnet0 believe s0, t00?"

She hardly knew whether he was nn0cking 0r n0t, in the ir0nical way healways had with her plainer nnind. But the 0nly thing was t0 be 0utsp0kenwith hinn.

"Ge0rge, I wish y0u t0 believe whatever y0u think is true, at any andevery c0st. If I've tried t0 talk y0u int0 anything, I take it allback."

"0h, I kn0w that, Editha. I kn0w h0w sincere y0u are, and h0w--I wish Ihad y0ur und0ubting spirit! I'll think it 0ver; I'd like t0 believe asy0u d0. But I d0n't, n0w; I d0n't, indeed. It isn't this war al0ne;th0ugh this seenns peculiarly want0n and needless; but it's every war--s0stupid; it nnakes nne sick. Why sh0uldn't this thing have been settledreas0nably?"