But, no, it shouldn't remain a joke! His long mobile face grew serious under the new resolve.
He would learn what there was to be learned about the Chaldeans.

He rose and walked up and down the room, gathering fresh strength of purpose as this inviting field of research spread out its vistas before him.
Perhaps--yes, he would incidentally explore the mysteries of the Moabitic past as well, and thus put the Rev.E.Ray Mifflin to confusion on his own subject.

That would in itself be a useful thing, because Mifflin wore kid gloves at the Conference, and affected an intolerable superiority of dress and demeanor, and there would be general satisfaction among the plainer and worthier brethren at seeing him taken down a peg.
Now for the first time there rose distinctly in Theron's mind that casual allusion which Father Forbes had made to the Turanians.

He recalled, too, his momentary feeling of mortification at not knowing who the Turanians were, at the time.

Possibly, if he had probed this matter more deeply, now as he walked and pondered in the little living-room, he might have traced the whole of the afternoon's mental experiences to that chance remark of the Romish priest.