Yet now as he saw the faces of mother and son together--the
mother leaning on the son's arm--and realized all the strength of the
social ideas which they represented, even though, in Ashe's case, there
had been a certain individual flouting of them, futile and powerless in
the end--the Dean gave way.
"There--there!" he said, as he finished his plea, and Lady Tranmore's
sad gravity remained untouched. "I see you both think me a dreamer of
dreams!"
"Nay, dear friend!" said Lady Tranmore, with the melancholy smile which
lent still further beauty to the refined austerity of her face; "these
things seem possible to you, because you are the soul of goodness--"
"And a pious old fool to boot!" said the Dean, impatiently. "But I am
willing--like St. Paul and my betters--to be a fool for Christ's sake.
Lady Tranmore, are you or are you not a Christian?"
"I hope so," she said, with composure, while her cheek flushed. "But our
Lord did not ask impossibilities. He knew there were limits to human
endurance--and human pardon--though there might be none to God's."
"'Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,'" cried
the Dean.
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