"Then why, dear lady, do you keep telling me he is cruel ?" I inquired, toasting my feet on the fender.

"It seems contradictory." She passed me the muffins, and smiled her restrained smile.
"Does the desire to do good to humanity in itself imply a benevolent disposition ?" she answered, obliquely.
"Now you are talking in paradox.

Surely, if a man works all his life long for the good of mankind, that shows he is devoured by sympathy for his species." "And when your friend Mr.Bates works all his life long at observing, and classifying lady-birds, I suppose that shows he is devoured by sympathy for the race of beetles!" I laughed at her comical face, she looked at me so quizzically.

"But then," I objected, "the cases are not parallel.

Bates kills and collects his lady-birds; Sebastian cures and benefits humanity." Hilda smiled her wise smile once more, and fingered her apron.