born to be merely happy and get rich, or to have a
fine old time, why, such a complete upheaval as this seems to me to be
necessary, and for me--if this war can rip off, with its shrapnel, the
selfishness with which prosperity has encrusted the lucky: if it can
explode our false values with its bombs: if it can break down our
absurd pretensions with its cannon,--all I can say is that Germany
will have done missionary work for the whole world--herself included."

Before he had done, we were all on our feet shouting at him, all but
the Lawyer, who smiled into his coffee cup.

"Why," cried the Critic, in anger, "one would think you held a brief
for them!"

"I do NOT," snapped the Doctor, "but I don't dislike them any
more than I do--well," catching himself up with a laugh, "lots of
other people."

"And you mean to tell me," said the gentle voice of the Divorcee at
his elbow, "that you calmly face the idea of the hundreds of
thousands of men,--well and strong to-day--dead to-morrow,--the
thought of the mothers who have borne their sons in pain, and bred
them in love, only to fling them before the cannon?"

"For what, after all, _are_ we born?" said the Doctor. "_Where_ we
die, or _when_ is a trifle, since die we must. But _why_ we die and
_how_ is vital. It is not only vital to the man that goes--it is vital
to the race. It is the struggle, it is the fight, which, no matter
what form it takes, makes life worth living. Men struggle for money.
Financiers strangle one another at the Bourse. People look on and
applaud, in spite of themselves. That is exciting. It is not
uplifting. But for men just like you and me to march out to face death
for an idea, for honor, for duty, that very fact ennobles the race."

"Ah," said the Lawyer, "I see. The Doctor enjoys the drama of life,
but he does not enjoy the purely domestic drama."

"And out of all this," said the Trained Nurse, in her level voice,
"you are leaving the Almighty. He gave us a world full of beauty, full
of work, full of interest, and he gave us capacities to enjoy it, and
endowed us with emotions which make it worth while to live and to
die. He gave us simple laws--they are clear enough--they mark sharply
the line between good and evil. He left us absolutely free to choose.
And behold what man has made of it!"

"I deny the statement," said the Doctor.

"That's easy," laughed the Journalist.

"I believe," said the Doctor, impatiently, "that no good comes but