She leaned forward suddenly, and he could catch the glint of her eyes
beneath her white veil.

"Ah!" she said, almost breathlessly. "That is what I want to hear. Now,
tell me how they justify it."

He paused an instant, considering.

"Well," he said slowly, "as far as I remember, they say that there are
other faculties besides those of reason. They say, for example, that
the heart sometimes finds out things that the reason cannot--intuitions,
you see. For instance, they say that all things such as self-sacrifice
and chivalry and even art--all come from the heart, that Reason comes
with them--in rules of technique, for instance--but that it cannot prove
them; they are quite apart from that."

"I think I see."

"Well, they say that Religion is like that--in other words, they
practically confess that it is merely a matter of emotion." He paused
again, trying to be fair. "Well, perhaps they would not say
that--although it is true. But briefly---"

"Well?"

"Well, they say there is a thing called Faith--a kind of deep conviction
unlike anything else--supernatural--which God is supposed to give to
people who desire it--to people who pray for it, and lead good lives,
and so on---"

"And this Faith?"

"Well, this Faith, acting upon what they call Evidences--this Faith
makes them absolutely certain that there is a God, that He was made man
and so on, with the Church and all the rest of it. They say too that
this is further proved by the effect that their religion has had in the
world, and by the way it explains man's nature to himself. You see, it
is just a case of self-suggestion."

He heard her sigh, and stopped.

"Is that any clearer, Mrs. Brand?"

"Thank you very much," she said, "it certainly is clearer. ... And it is
true that Christians have died for this Faith, whatever it is?"

"Oh! yes. Thousands and thousands. Just as Mohammedans have for theirs."

"The Mohammedans believe in God, too, don't they?"

"Well, they did, and I suppose that a few do now. But very few: the rest
have become esoteric, as they say."

"And--and which would you say were the most highly evolved people--East
or West?"

"Oh! West undoubtedly. The East thinks a good deal, but it doesn't act
much. And that always leads to confusion--even to stagnation of
thought."

"And Christianity certainly has been the Religion of the West up to a
hundred years ago?"

"Oh! yes."

She was silent then, and Mr. Francis had time again to ref