atters."

"I should not imagine that your father would elect to give honour to a
man of Tolstoi's views."

"My father greatly admires the artist's work."

"But not this one. You are quite right, Mr. Leicester," said Mr.
Castlemaine, who had overheard their conversation. "I am not an admirer
of this Russian's revolutionary ideas. My daughter and I had quite an
argument about this picture."

"And Miss Castlemaine had the best of it."

"What man was ever equal to a woman in argument?" said Mr. Castlemaine
good-humouredly. "Yes, what were you saying, Mr. Lowry?"

"Why do you admire him?" asked Radford Leicester, turning to Olive.

"A woman always admires strength, courage, honesty," replied Olive.

"And which most?"

"Honesty."

"That is interesting. Might one ask why?"

"Because the other two do not exist without it."

Radford Leicester did not repress the answer that rose to his lips. He
could not be altogether a hypocrite, even to carry out his plans.

"That is a very respectable tradition," he said.

"You do not believe it?"

"I would not try to destroy it for worlds," he said. "I can feel the
whole constitution rattling about my ears at the very thought of its
destruction."

"But you do not believe it?"

"What would you say if I told you I did not?"

"I should say that Tolstoi's life would prove you in the wrong."

"Have you ever considered what a complex thing humanity is, Miss
Castlemaine? I have known honest men--that is, as honest men go--as
timid as rabbits, and I have known scoundrels who have been as brave as
lions. Is not human nature constantly laughing at us?"

"That is because our judgments are so shallow. We do not look beneath
the surface."

"Yes, doubtless you are right. But my main objection to the so-called
honest man is that he is so frightfully dull."

"To say the least of him, Tolstoi is not dull."

"Therefore he is not honest."

"Surely a sweeping conclusion from a very uncertain premiss."

"No, not uncertain."

"No? May I ask how you can prove it true?"

"By constantly meeting with men--and women."

"You mean that all the honest people you have met with are dull?"

"Pardon me, I am not sure I have ever met with an honest man. But I have
met with those who are called honest, and----"

The girl looked at him steadily. She was not sure whether he was in
earnest. It is true his face was perfectly serious, and yet she thought
she detected a mocking tone in his voic