"Yes," admitted Brown. "That's just it. We're officially and politically Christian. It's a national affair. We're a Christian people; but who knows a Christian individual? Ours is a Christian newspaper, Christian city, Christian country, and all the rest of it. There's no doubt about it. All England believes; but no single man I ever meet admits that he believes. I suppose it's different up your way, Campbell. One gathers the Scotch are religious?" "H'm! I won't answer for that," growled Campbell. "As a people, yes, as you say; but as individuals--well, I don't know. But my father's a believer; I could swear to it." "Ah, yes; so's mine. But I'm not talking of fathers. I mean our generation." "Well," I began, "for my part, I'm not so sure of the fathers." "Oh, we can count you out," said Kelly, the Irishman. "All parsons' sons are atheists, as a matter of course; and bad hats at that." "Rather a severe blow at our Christianity, isn't it?" said Brown. I had no more to say on this point, not wishing to discuss my father. But I knew perfectly well that that good, kind man had cherished no belief whatever in many of what were judged to be the vital dogmas of Christianity. "Well, I've just been thinking," said Campbell, "and upon my soul, Brown--if I've got one--I believe you're right. I don't know any one of our generation who believes. Every one thinks every one else believes, and everybody is most careful not to be disrespectful about the belief everybody else is supposed to hold. But, begad, nobody believes himself. We all wink at each other about it; accepting the certainty of every one else's belief, and only recognizing as a matter of course that you and me--we've got beyond that sort of thing." "Well, I've often thought of it," said Brown. "I'll write an article about it one of these days." "Who'll you get to publish it?" "H'm! Yes, that's a fact. And yet, hang it, you know, how absurd! Who is there in this office that believes?" "Echo answers, 'who?'" "I happen to know that both Rainham and Baddeley go to church," said Dunbar, naming a proprietor and a manager. "I don't see the connection," said Brown. "Because there isn't any," said Campbell. "But Dunbar sees it, and so does the British public, begad. That's the kernel of the whole thing. That's why every one thinks every one else, except himself, believes. Rainham and Baddeley think their wives, and sons, and servants, and circle generally believe, and therefore would be shocked if Rainham and Baddeley didn't go to church. And every one else thinks the same. So they all go." "But, my dear chap, they don't all go. The parsons are always complaining about it. The women do, but the men don't--not as a rule, I mean; particularly when they've got motors, and golf, and things. You know they don't. Here's six of us here. Does any one of us ever go to church?" Dunbar, looking straight down over his nose, said: "I do--often."