Once more he waited for Eurie’s answer, but it was very different from what he had seemed to expect.

“You might just as well talk to me in the Greek language; I should understand quite as well what you have been saying; I don’t think I have any spiritual side to my nature; at least it has never been cultivated if I have; and Chautauqua to me is just the place in which to have a good free easy time; go where I like and stay as long as I like; and for once in my life not be bound by conventional forms.  If heaven is anything like that I shouldn’t object to it; but I’m sure your and my idea of it would differ.  There, I’ve been frank now, and shocked you, I know.  I see it in every line of your face.  Poor fellow!  I don’t know what you will do, for there isn’t a single one of us who has the least idea what you mean by that sort of talk, unless you have some young ladies of a different type in your party, and from their manner I rather doubt it.”

She had shocked him.  He looked not only pained but puzzled.

“I am very sorry,” he stammered.  “I mean surprised.  Yes, and disappointed.  Of course I am that.  I think I had imagined that it was only Christians who could be attracted to Chautauqua at all; I meant to come to stay through all the services.”

“Your aunt, for instance?” Eurie said, inquiringly.

“My aunt is a Christian,” he answered, “and a sincere one, too, though I see for some reason you don’t think so.  There are degrees in Christianity, Miss Mitchell, just as there are in amiability, or culture, or beauty.”

“Mr. Rawson!” called a voice from the other end at this moment, and he in obedience to the call found Eurie a seat near some of her party and went away, only stopping to say, in low tones: 

“I am sorry it is all ‘Greek’ to you; you would enjoy understanding it, I am sure.”

It so happened that those two people did not exchange another word together that day, but Eurie had got her thrust when and where she least expected it.  She had taken it for granted that not a single fanatic was of their party.  In the secret of her wise heart she denominated all the earnest people at Chautauqua fanatics, and all the half-hearted people hypocrites.  Only she, who stood outside and felt nothing, was sincere and wise.

Meantime Marion had undertaken a strange task.  Mr. Charlie Flint was the gentleman who had drawn his chair near her, and said, as he drew a long breath: 

“It is exceedingly pleasant to breathe air once more that isn’t heavy with psalm singing I think they are running that thing a little too steep over there.  Who imagined that they were going to have meeting every minute in the day and evening, and give nobody a chance to breathe?”

“Have they exhausted you already?” Marion asked.  “Let me see, this is the morning of the second day, is it not?”

“Oh, as to myself, I was exhausted before I commenced it.  I am only speaking a word for the lunatics who think they enjoy it.  I am one of the victims to our cousin’s whim.  He expects to get me converted here, I think, or something of that sort.”