Gilbert Keith Chesterton

“ Let me take your cloak.
CONJURER. I will take off my cloak when you take off your coat.
SMITH. [Smiling.] Why? Do you want me to fight?
CONJURER. [Violently.] I want you to be martyred. I want you to bear witness to your own creed. I say these things are supernatural. I say this was done by a spirit. The Doctor does not believe me. He is an agnostic; and he knows everything. The Duke does not believe me; he cannot believe anything so plain as a miracle. But what the devil are you for, if you don't believe in a miracle? ”

“ I am a man. And you are a woman. And all the elves have gone to elfland, and all the devils to hell. And you and I will walk out of this great vulgar house and be married.... Every one is crazy in this house to-night, I think. What am I saying? As if _you_ could marry me! O my God!
PATRICIA. This is the first time you have failed in courage.
CONJURER. What do you mean?
PATRICIA. I mean to draw your attention to the fact that you have recently made an offer, I accept it.
CONJURER. Oh, it's nonsense, it's nonsense. How can a man marry an archangel, let alone a lady. ”

“ And even if--if what you suggest were so, I should have to regard it as a professional secret.
CONJURER. [Still looking at him.] And don't you think you ask me a rather unfair question, Dr. Grimthorpe? If yours is a professional secret, is not mine a professional secret too? If you may hide truth from the world, why may not I? You don't tell your tricks. I don't tell my tricks.
DOCTOR. [With some heat.] Ours are not tricks.
CONJURER. [Reflectively.] Ah, no one can be sure of that till the tricks are told. ”

“ We can't turn life into a pleasure. But we can choose such pleasures as are worthy of us and our immortal souls. Your mother chose and I have chosen.
CONJURER. [Staring.] Immortal souls!... And I suppose if I knelt down to worship you, you and every one else would laugh.
PATRICIA. [With a smile of perversity.] Well, I think this is a more comfortable way. [She sits down suddenly beside him in a sort of domestic way and goes on talking.] Yes. I'll do everything your mother did, not so well, of course; I'll darn that conjurer's hat--does one darn hats?--and cook the Conjurer's dinner. ”

“ CONJURER. It only means that I have done what many men have done; but few, I think, have thriven by. [He sits down and talks thoughtfully.] I told you I had mixed with many queer sets of people. Among others, I mixed with those who pretend, truly and falsely, to do our tricks by the aid of spirits. I dabbled a little in table-rapping and table-turning. ”

“ I will take it myself.
[Exit into the other room.]
DUKE. [Uneasily.] We all felt devilish queer just now. Wonderful things there are in the world. [After a pause.] I suppose it's all electricity.
[Silence as usual.] ”