r, a Christian, in a very
real sense of the word. When he died, my mother and others told me
they hoped I should be worthy of him, and--I have tried to be. It is
difficult to talk about such matters, Nancy, and I am not one of those
fellows who parade their piety and that sort of thing. I would not say
what I am going to now, but for the circumstances. I have tried to
understand what Christianity means. I have read the New Testament,
especially the Gospels, again and again. I have tried to realise what
Jesus Christ said, what He lived for, what He died for, and I think I
have tried to follow him. No, I am not namby-pamby, and this is not
empty talk. I expect there are hundreds of young fellows who never
talk about religion, but who are trying, honestly and squarely, to live
Christian lives. Anyhow, that is what I have tried to do. When this
war seemed to be inevitable, I went into the whole business. I read
everything I could,--newspapers, state papers, correspondence between
the ambassadors, and all that kind of thing. You see, I felt what was
coming; and, Nancy, I simply cannot square Christianity with war.
Either Jesus Christ was mistaken, and Christianity is an empty dream;
or war is wrong--wrong under any circumstances. It is hellish, and I
can't stand for it--I can't!"

The girl looked at him with wide open eyes, and her lips trembled, but
she did not speak.

"Yes," he went on, "I know what it means. I shall be boycotted,
sneered at, called a coward, and all that; but that is nothing, is it?
What is much more terrible to me is the fact that I shall--that I shall
lose you! You drove me away the other day, Nancy. You did not mean
it, did you? You would not have me go against my conscience?"

"Conscience!" there was a world of scorn in her voice. She seemed to
be hesitating whether she should not open the door and tell him to
leave the house. Perhaps there was something in the tone of his voice,
in the expression of his eyes, which kept her from doing this.
"Perhaps you have not thought of the other side," she tried to say
calmly. "Have you ever thought what it would mean if Germany conquered
England--Germany with her militarism and her savagery? Have you
thought how she would treat us, what would become of us, and all that
we hold most dear?"

"Yes, I have thought of that."

"And would it not be right, if, to save our country, and all our
country stands for, if need be, to deluge Europe in