“I believe it,” said Rowland.  “Never again talk to me about your inspiration being dead.”

“Why not?  This may be its last kick!  I feel very tired.  But it ’s a masterpiece, though I do say it.  They tell us we owe so much to our parents.  Well, I ’ve paid the filial debt handsomely!” He walked up and down the room a few moments, with the purpose of his visit evidently still undischarged.  “There ’s one thing more I want to say,” he presently resumed.  “I feel as if I ought to tell you!” He stopped before Rowland with his head high and his brilliant glance unclouded.  “Your invention is a failure!”

“My invention?” Rowland repeated.

“Bringing out my mother and Mary.”

“A failure?”

“It ’s no use!  They don’t help me.”

Rowland had fancied that Roderick had no more surprises for him; but he was now staring at him, wide-eyed.

“They bore me!” Roderick went on.

“Oh, oh!” cried Rowland.

“Listen, listen!” said Roderick with perfect gentleness.  “I am not complaining of them; I am simply stating a fact.  I am very sorry for them; I am greatly disappointed.”

“Have you given them a fair trial?”

“Should n’t you say so?  It seems to me I have behaved beautifully.”

“You have done very well; I have been building great hopes on it.”

“I have done too well, then.  After the first forty-eight hours my own hopes collapsed.  But I determined to fight it out; to stand within the temple; to let the spirit of the Lord descend!  Do you want to know the result?  Another week of it, and I shall begin to hate them.  I shall want to poison them.”

“Miserable boy!” cried Rowland.  “They are the loveliest of women!”

“Very likely!  But they mean no more to me than a Bible text to an atheist!”

“I utterly fail,” said Rowland, in a moment, “to understand your relation to Miss Garland.”

Roderick shrugged his shoulders and let his hands drop at his sides.  “She adores me!  That ’s my relation.”  And he smiled strangely.

“Have you broken your engagement?”

“Broken it?  You can’t break a ray of moonshine.”

“Have you absolutely no affection for her?”

Roderick placed his hand on his heart and held it there a moment.  “Dead—­dead—­dead!” he said at last.

“I wonder,” Rowland asked presently, “if you begin to comprehend the beauty of Miss Garland’s character.  She is a person of the highest merit.”

“Evidently—­or I would not have cared for her!”

“Has that no charm for you now?”

“Oh, don’t force a fellow to say rude things!”

“Well, I can only say that you don’t know what you are giving up.”

Roderick gave a quickened glance.  “Do you know, so well?”

“I admire her immeasurably.”

Roderick smiled, we may almost say sympathetically.  “You have not wasted time.”