REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY.  Tell Frederik that, if he cares to consult me, I shall be at home in my study.  Good-night, Doctor.  Good-night, Rose.

DR. MACPHERSON.  Hold on, Mr. Batholommey! [The REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY turns.] I’m writing an account of all that’s happened here to-night—­

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY. [Dubiously.] Indeed!

DR. MACPHERSON.  I shall verify every word of the evidence by William’s mother for whom I am searching. [The REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY smiles faintly behind his hand.] Then I shall send in my report, and not until then.  What I wish to ask is this:  would you have any objection to the name of Mrs. Batholommey being used as a witness?

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY. [Looks perplexed.] Well,—­er—­a—­

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY.  Oh, no, you don’t!  You may flout our beliefs; but wouldn’t you like to bolster up your report with “the wife of a clergyman who was present!” It sounds so respectable and sane, doesn’t it?  No, sir!  You cannot prop up your wild-eyed—­

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY.  Rose, my dear!

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. [Sweeping on.]—­theories against the good black of a minister’s coat. I think myself that you have probably stumbled on the truth about William’s mother.

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY. Can it be true?  Oh, dreadful!  Dreadful!

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY.  But that child knew it all along.  He’s eight years old and he was with her until five—­and five’s the age of memory.  Every incident of his mother’s life has lingered in his little mind.  Supposing you do find her and learn that it’s all true:  what do you prove?  Simply that William remembered, and that’s all there is to it.

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY.  Let us hope that there’s not a word of truth in it.  Don’t you think, Doctor—­mind, I’m not opposing your ideas as a clergyman,—­I’m just echoing what everybody else thinks—­don’t you believe these spiritualistic ideas, leading away from the Heaven we were taught to believe in, tend towards irresponsibility—­er—­ eccentricity—­and—­often—­er—­insanity?  Is it healthy—­that’s the idea—­is it healthy?

DR. MACPHERSON.  Well, Batholommey, religion has frequently led to the stake, and I never heard of the Spanish Inquisition being called healthy for anybody taking part in it.  Still, religion flourishes.  But your old-fashioned, unscientific, gilt, ginger-bread Heaven blew up ten years ago—­went out.  My Heaven’s just coming in.  It’s new.  Dr. Funk and a lot of the clergymen are in already.  You’d better get used to it, Batholommey, and get in line and into the procession.

REV.  MR. BATHOLOMMEY.  You’ll have to convince me first, Doctor—­and that no man can do.  I made up my mind at twenty-one, and my Heaven is just where it was then.

DOCTOR MACPHERSON.  So I see.  It hasn’t improved a particle.