'"
"If you begin to quote Scripture against me," Maurice retorted,
laughing in spite of himself, "I might easily reply to St. Paul by St.
Paul. But letting that pass, it is certainly true that the church has
always held that marriage absorbs a man in earthly things so that he
cannot give the best of his thoughts to his work."
"When the church sets itself against marriage," Mrs. Morison responded
quietly, "it seems to me to be setting up to know more than the Creator
of the race."
Maurice colored, although he might not have been able to tell whether
his strongest feeling was horror at this bold language or joy at the
emphasis with which she spoke.
"Perhaps I should beg your pardon for saying so frankly what I think,"
Mrs. Morison continued. "It isn't the way in which one generally talks
to a clergyman; but the subject is one for which I haven't much
patience, and of course I couldn't help seeing that you are in doubt
yourself."
Maurice started.
"What do you mean?" he stammered. "I--I in doubt?"
"I hadn't any intention of forcing your confidence," returned she. "I
am an old woman, and sometimes I find that I don't make allowance
enough for the slowness of you young people in arriving at a knowledge
of self.
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