Page:Margaret Sherwood--A Puritan in Bohemia.djvu/185

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A Puritan Bohemia
177

"If I could only paint those lovely, triumphant eyes," thought Anne, watching Mrs. Kent's face in the flickering light, "I'd call the picture 'Love and Death.'"

"You are all too impatient," said Mrs. Kent. "Wait. In the great moments of experience, one knows. One feels that one is working with God at the heart of things, and knows more than one can explain."

"Suppose we haven't any great moments?" said Howard grimly.

"There's your philosophy of learning through loss," answered Mrs. Kent. "Moments of denial may be great."

She looked sadly at Anne. To her it seemed that the girl had made the great mistake of her life.

"That is pretty thin philosophy, when it comes to personal application," said Howard, shaking his head.

"Most philosophy is," suggested Anne.

"After all, there's some truth in it. Life is just a chance to learn by living out your own life faithfully," Howard remarked.