fficiently what I mean.
Deception, for instance, is incompatible with what I understand as
honour."

He spoke it slowly and clearly, his eyes fixed on the fire.

"You seem to me to be attributing moral responsibility to her."

"What I say is this that I believe her nature incapable of admitting
the vulgar influences to which people in general are subject. I attach
no merit to her high qualities--no more than I attach merit to the sea
for being a nobler thing than a muddy puddle. Of course I know that she
cannot help being what she is, and cannot say to herself that in future
she will become this or that. How am I inconsistent? Suppose me wrong
in my estimate of her. I might then lament that she fell below what I
had imagined, but of course I should have no right to blame her."

Miriam reflected; then put the question:

"And does she hold the same opinion--with reference to you, for
instance?"

"Theoretically she does."

"Theoretically? If she made her opinions practical, I suppose there
would be no reason why you shouldn't live together in contentment?"

Reuben glanced at her.

"I can't say," he replied gloomily. "That is quite another matter."

"Speaking of honour," said Miriam, "you would attach no blame to
yourself if you fell below it."

He replied with deliberation:

"One often blames one's self emotionally, but the understanding is not
affected by that. Unless your mind is unsteadied by excess of feeling."

"I believe you are a victim of sophistry--sophistry of the most
dangerous kind. I can't argue with you, but I pity you, and fear for
you."

The words were uttered so solemnly that Reuben for a moment was shaken;
his features moved in a way which indicates a sudden failure of
self-possession. But he recovered himself immediately, and smiled his
least amiable smile.

"I see you are not yet past the half-way house on the way of
emancipation, Miriam. These things sound disagreeable, and prompt such
deliverances as this of yours. But can I help it if a truth is
unpalatable? What better should I be if I shut my eyes against it? You
will say that this conviction makes me incapable of struggle for the
good. Nothing of the kind. Where I am destined to struggle, I do so,
without any reference to my scientific views. Of course, one is
unhappier with science than without it. Who ever urged the contrary,
that was worth listening to? I believe the human race will be more and
more unhappy as science grows.