"A pagan!" Lady Paton looked rather alarmed. "You mean it, Michael? I have been troubled, but Camelia comes to church with me. It is you who are the pagan, Michael," she added, finding the gentle retort with evident relief.
"Oh, I wasn't speaking literally. I have no doubt that Camelia is a staunch church-woman," he smiled to himself. Camelia was a brazen little conformist, when conformity was of service.
"No, not that. I don't quite know. I have heard her talk of religion, with Mr. Ballenden, who writes those books, you know, scientific, atheistic books, and Camelia seemed quite to overpower him; the illusions of science, the claims of authority." Lady Paton spoke with some little vagueness. "I did not quite follow it all; but he became very much excited. Controversial religion does not interest me, it confuses me. It is the inner change of heart, Michael," she added with a mild glance of affection, "the reliance on the higher will that guides us, that has revealed itself to us."
Perior looked somewhat gloomily on the ground. The thought of Lady Paton's religion, and Camelia's deft juggling with negatives, jarred upon him.
"You don't agree with me, Michael?" Lady Paton asked timidly.
"Of course I do," he said, looking up at her, "that is the only definition needful. We may interpret differently, from different points of view."
"You would find, I think, greater peace in mine, Michael. May you come to it in time!"
They were both silent for a moment, and both looked presently at Camelia.
"She is so much admired, and so unspoiled by it. So frank, so unaffected. She is found so clever."
"So she tells me," Perior could not repress.
"And so humorous," Lady Paton added, taking his smile in its kindest sense, "she says the most amusing things."
"Mr. Perior," said Camelia, turning rather abruptly, "if Mamma is singing my praises I give you leave to repress her sternly." She joined them, standing behind Lady Paton's chair, and, over her head, looking at Perior. "I know how trying such praises are, heard outside the family circle."
"In which I hope I may include myself. I enjoy Lady Paton's interpretation."
"Mamma would not believe the biting intention of that speech. Cuff! cuff! cuff! _Il me fait des misères_, Mamma!"