"Your invention is a failure!" "My invention ?" Rowland repeated.
"Bringing out my mother and Mary." "A failure ?" "It 's no use! They don't help me." Rowland had fancied that Roderick had no more surprises for him; but he was now staring at him, wide-eyed.
"They bore me!" Roderick went on.
"Oh, oh!" cried Rowland.
"Listen, listen!" said Roderick with perfect gentleness.

"I am not complaining of them; I am simply stating a fact.

I am very sorry for them; I am greatly disappointed." "Have you given them a fair trial ?" "Should n't you say so?
It seems to me I have behaved beautifully." "You have done very well; I have been building great hopes on it." "I have done too well, then.

After the first forty-eight hours my own hopes collapsed.

But I determined to fight it out; to stand within the temple; to let the spirit of the Lord descend! Do you want to know the result?
Another week of it, and I shall begin to hate them.