"Hens," said Teddy, rather unexpectedly, "and the rab-yits steal them."
"Hodgson. And she says that she ties them up in rags and the colors come off on the eggs."
They were getting in very deep. Jean gave it up. "Ask your mother, Teddy."
So Teddy sought his unfailing source of information. "What's 'magination, Mother."
"It is seeing things, Teddy, with your mind instead of your eyes. When I tell you about the poor little children in France who haven't any food or any clothes except what the Red Cross gives them, you don't really see them with your eyes, but your mind sees them, and their cold little hands, and their sad little faces--"
"Yes." He considered that for a while, then swept on to the things over which his childish brain puzzled.
"Mother, if the Germans get to Paris what will happen?"
After he had gone downstairs, Margaret got out her prayer-book, and read the prayers for the day.
"Oh, merciful God, who hast made all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live, have mercy on all Jews, Turks, infidels and heretics, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of Thy word, and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to Thy flock, that they may be saved--"
She shut the book. No, she could not go on. She did not love her enemies. She was not in the least sure that she wanted the Germans to be saved!
On Easter morning, however, Teddy was instructed to pray for his enemies. "We mustn't have hate in our hearts."
"Well, Father wouldn't want it. We hate the evil they do, but we must pray that they will be shown their wickedness and repent."
"If they re-pyent will they stop fighting?"
Jean, who was ready for church and waiting, warned, "You'd better not try to give an answer to that, Margaret, there isn't any."
Teddy ignored her. "How would they stop, Mother?"
_Would William of Prussia ever be sorry_?
Margaret wrenched her mind away from the picture which his words had painted for her, the Kaiser on his knees! _Miserere mei, Deus_--
_Why? Why? Why? Older voices were asking that question in agony_.
"He will do it in His own good time, dearest. Perhaps the world has a lesson to learn."