And yet, with all your faith, you do not believe in God." "I cannot see how you get at that conclusion," I replied.

"I must deny your hypothesis, at the risk of engaging you in an argument." I could not see what he was driving at.
"How can you believe in God, and yet condemn the noblest of His works as altogether bad?
You are not consistent." "What makes you think I am so cynical ?" I inquired, harking back to gain time.
"A little cloud, a little sultriness in the air, is all that betrays the coming _khemsin_, that by and by shall overwhelm and destroy man and beast in its sandy darkness.

You have made one or two remarks lately that show little faith in human nature, and if you do not believe in human nature what is there left for you to believe in?
You said a moment ago that I was the first grateful person you had ever met.

Then the rest of humanity are all selfish, and worshippers of themselves, and altogether vile, since you yourself say, as I do, that ingratitude is the unpardonable sin; and God has made a world full of unpardonable sinners, and unless you include yourself in the exception you graciously make in my favour, no one but I shall be saved.

And yet you say also with me that God is good.