n he likes. 'Look here, Mrs. Woolstan,' he said, 'Leonard
doesn't seem to me to be doing well at all. I asked him one or two
questions in simple arithmetic, and he couldn't answer.' 'Well,' I
said, 'for one thing Len isn't well, and it isn't the right time to
examine a boy; and then arithmetic isn't his subject; he hasn't that
kind of mind.' But he wouldn't listen, and the next thing he said was
still nastier. 'Do you know,' he said, 'that the boy is being taught
_atheism_?'--Well, what could I answer? I got rather angry, and said
that Len's religious teaching was my own affair, and I couldn't see
what _he_ had to do with it; and besides, that Len _wasn't_ being
taught atheism, but that people who were not in the habit of thinking
Philosophically couldn't be expected to understand such things. I think
that was rather good, wasn't it? Didn't I put it rather well?"

Iris panted in expectation of approval. But merely a nod was vouchsafed
to her.

"Go on," said Dyce, drily.

"You're not vexed, I hope? I'm going to be quite frank, you know, just
as you like people to be. Well, Mr. Wrybolt went on, and would have it
that Len was badly taught and altogether led in the wrong way, and that
he'd grow up an immoral and an irreligious man. 'You must remember, Mr.
Wrybolt,' I said, rather severely, 'that people's ideas about morality
and religion differ very much, and I can't think you have sufficiently
studied the subject to be capable of understanding my point of
view'--It was rather severe, wasn't it? But I think it was rather well
put."

"Go on," said Dyce, with another nod.

"Well now, I'm quite sure you'll understand me. We _do_ generally
understand each other. You see, I was put into a most difficult
position. Mr. Wrybolt is my trustee, and he has to look after
Len--though he's never given a thought to him till now--and he's a man
of influence; that is to say, in his own wretched, vulgar world, but
unfortunately it's a kind of influence one's obliged to think about.
Len, you know, is just eleven, and one has to begin to think about his
future, and it isn't as if he was going to be rich and could do as he
liked. I'm sure you'll understand me. With a man like Mr. Wrybolt--"

"Not so many words," interposed the listener, smiling rather
disdainfully. "I see the upshot of it all. You promised to send Len to
school."

Mrs. Woolstan panted and fluttered and regarded Lashmar with eyes of
agitated appeal.

"If you think I o