“Does thee think that all that happens in ‘public life’ is of consequence? That is not sensible. Thee is in the midst of a thousand immaterial things, though they have importance for the moment. But the chief things that matter to all, does thee not know that a ‘silly Quaker village’ may realise them to the full--more fully because we see them apart from the thousand little things that do not matter? I remember a thing in political life that mattered. It was at Heddington after the massacre at Damascus. Does thee think that we did not know thee spoke without principle then, and only to draw notice?” “You would make me into a demagogue,” he said irritably. “Thee is a demagogue,” she answered candidly. “Why did you never say all this to me long ago? Years have passed since then, and since then you and I have--have been friends. You have--” He paused, for she made a protesting motion, and a fire sprang into her eyes. Her voice got colder. “Thee made me believe--ah, how many times did we speak together? Six times it was, not more. Thee made me believe that what I thought or said helped thee to see things better. Thee said I saw things truly like a child, with the wisdom of a woman. Thee remembers that?” “It was so,” he put in hastily. “No, not for a moment so, though I was blinded to think for an instant that it was. Thee subtly took the one way which could have made me listen to thee. Thee wanted help, thee said; and if a word of mine could help thee now and then, should I withhold it, so long as I thought thee honest?” “Do you think I was not honest in wanting your friendship?” “Nay, it was not friendship thee wanted, for friendship means a giving and a getting. Thee was bent on getting what was, indeed, of but little value save to the giver; but thee gave nothing; thee remembered nothing of what was given thee.” “It is not so, it is not so,” he urged eagerly, nervously. “I gave, and I still give.” “In those old days, I did not understand,” she went on, “what it was thee wanted. I know now. It was to know the heart and mind of a woman--of a woman older than thee. So that thee should have such sort of experience, though I was but a foolish choice of the experiment. They say thee has a gift for chemistry like thy father; but if thee experiments no more wisely in the laboratory than with me, thee will not reach distinction.” “Your father hated my father and did not believe in him, I know not why, and you are now hating and disbelieving me.” “I do not know why my father held the late Earl in abhorrence; I know he has no faith in thee; and I did ill in listening to thee, in believing for one moment there was truth in thee. But no, no, I think I never believed it. I think that even when thee said most, at heart I believed least.” “You doubt that? You doubt all I said to you?” he urged softly, coming close to her.