The little Doctor's countenance now showed the most lively and eager interest.
"You quite believe that, Monsieur Gervase? You are entirely sure of what you said just now?"
"What did I say? I forget!" smiled Gervase, lighting a cigarette and beginning to smoke it leisurely.
"You said, 'There is no spirit higher or stronger than the spirit of naturalism in man.' Are you positive on this point?"
"Why, of course! Most entirely positive!" And the great painter looked amused as he gave the reply. "Naturalism is Nature, or the things appertaining to Nature, and there is nothing higher or stronger than Nature everywhere and anywhere."
"How about God?" inquired Dr. Dean with a curious air, as if he were propounding a remarkable conundrum.
"God!" Gervase laughed loudly. "Pardon! Are you a clergyman?"
"By no means!" and the Doctor gave a little bow and deprecating smile. "I am not in any way connected with the Church. I am a doctor of laws and literature,--a humble student of philosophy and science generally..."
"Philosophy! Science!" interrupted Gervase. "And you ask about God! Parbleu! Science and philosophy have progressed beyond Him!"
"Exactly!" and Dr. Dean rubbed his hands together pleasantly. "That is your opinion? Yes, I thought so! Science and philosophy, to put it comprehensively, have beaten poor God on His own ground! Ha! ha! ha! Very good--very good! And humorous as well! Ha! ha!"
And a very droll appearance just then had this "humble student of philosophy and science generally," for he bent himself to and fro with laughter, and his small eyes almost disappeared behind his shelving brows in the excess of his mirth. And two crosslines formed themselves near his thin mouth--such lines as are carven on the ancient Greek masks which indicate satire.
Denzil Murray flushed uncomfortably.
"Gervase doesn't believe in anything but Art," he said, as though half apologizing for his friend: "Art is the sole object of his existence; I don't believe he ever has time to think about anything else."
"Of what else should I think, mon ami?" exclaimed Gervase mirthfully. "Of life? It is all Art to me; and by Art I mean the idealization and transfiguration of Nature."
"Oh. if you do that sort of thing you are a romancist," interposed Dr. Dean emphatically. "Nature neither idealizes nor transfigures itself; it is simply Nature and no more. Matter uncontrolled by Spirit is anything but ideal."