"It is difficult to tell when Elodia is in earnest," he replied. "She thinks my sanctuary in the top story of the house here, is a kind of weakness, because I brought the idea from Lunismar." "O, then, it is not common here in Thursia for people to have things of that sort in their homes!" I said in surprise. "Yes, it has gotten to be rather common," he replied. "Since you put in yours?" He admitted that to be the case. "You must think that you have done your country a great good," I began enthusiastically, "in introducing so beautiful an innovation, and--" "You are mistaken," he interrupted, "I think the contrary; because our rich people, and some who are not rich but only ambitious, took it up as a fad, and I believe it has really worked evil. It is considered aristocratic to have one's own private shrine, and not to go to church at all except in condescension, to patronize the masses. Elodia saw clearly just how it would be, before I began to carry out my plan. She has a logical mind, and her thought travels from one sequence to the next with unfailing accuracy. I recall her saying that one cannot superinduce the customs and habits of one society upon another of a different order, without affectation; and that you cannot put on a new religion, like a new garment, and feel yourself free in it." "Does she not believe, then, in progress, development?" "Only along the familiar lines. She thinks you can reach outward and upward from your natural environment, but you must not tear yourself out of it with violence. However, she admitted that my sanctuary was well enough for me, because of my having lived among the Caskians and studied their sublime ethics until I grew into the meanings of them. But no person can take them second-hand from me, because I could not bring away with me the inexpressible something which holds those people together in a perfect Unit. I can go to Caskia and catch the spirit of their religion, but I cannot bring Caskia here. It was a mistake in so far as my neighbors are concerned, since they only see in it, as I have said, a new fashion, a new diversion for their ennuied thoughts." "What is there peculiar about the religion of those people?" I asked. "The most peculiar thing about it is that they live it, rather than profess it," he replied. "I don't think I understand," said I, and after a moment's consideration of the matter in his own mind, he tried to make his meaning clear to me.