"I only heard, by accident, the other day, that she was your aunt, and that you lived with her; but I have known of her existence for years." "Indeed!" exclaimed Mary. "Oh, yes! She used to speak and lecture on woman's rights, on the abolition of the House of Lords, and such like questions. I heard her several times: very eloquent she was too. I was rather a Radical myself then, but I have changed my views since.... I trust you do not follow your aunt in _all_ her opinions, Miss King?" and he looked rather anxiously at her. "I think I do, Dr. Duncan." There was a silence for a while. The man was evidently troubled, and was carefully pondering his next remark. Mary regarded him furtively, wondering what was coming. "Some of your aunt's views are rather startling," he said. He was thinking of one of her speeches he had heard, in which she had upheld the unsavoury teachings of Mr. Bradlaugh, and had declared her favourite opinions as to the abominable nature of religion and morality. "Startling! yes, I suppose they are startling--truth often is so," she replied. "Is it truth?" "Is what truth?" and she turned and looked him full in the face. Finding himself driven into a corner, he spoke out boldly. "Miss King, I hope you will forgive me when I tell you that I feel a deep interest in you. I hope you will look on me as your friend, and that we shall know each other better some day. Do not think I am impertinent if I explain what I meant." "I do not think so, Dr. Duncan." "Well, I know what your aunt's opinions on certain matters--religion for instance--are, and I should be very sorry to think that you entertained the same." "Oh! are they false opinions?" "I think so; but that is hardly the question. Some false opinions are at any rate harmless, but these I speak of are certainly bad in their effects, whether they be true or false." "Do you then believe that to know the truth can be bad?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. "I don't say that; but don't you think that when a theory is put before you, you should be much more careful than usual in your examination of it, should require much more--indeed, absolute proof--before you accept it, if it is a theory, the belief in which cannot fail to have bad consequences?" "A theory should stand on its own merits. It is no argument against an opinion to say that it is an unhappy one."