He had allowed his cigar, after the first few puffs, to smoulder untasted; his lips were drawn into an expression very unlike the laxity appropriate to pleasurable smoking.
When the murmur of the pines had for a moment been audible, he said, with a forced smile: 'I notice you take for granted that a clear brain and religious orthodoxy are incompatible.' The other gave him a keen look.
'Hardly,' was Buckland's reply, spoken with less ingenuousness of tone than usual.

'I say that Miss Moorhouse has undeniably a strong mind, and that it is impossible to suspect her of the slightest hypocrisy.' 'Whence the puzzle that keeps you occupied,' rejoined Peak, in a voice that sounded like assumption of superiority, though the accent had an agreeable softness.
Warricombe moved as if impatiently, struck a match to rekindle his weed, blew tumultuous clouds, and finally put a blunt question: 'What do you think about it yourself ?' 'From my point of view, there is no puzzle at all,' Godwin replied, in a very clear voice, smiling as he met the other's look.
'How am I to understand that ?' asked Buckland, good-naturedly, though with a knitting of his brows.
'Not as a doubt of Miss Moorhouse's sincerity.

I can't see that a belief in the Christian religion is excluded by any degree of intellectual clearness.' 'No--your views have changed, Peak ?' 'On many subjects, this among them.' 'I see.' The words fell as if involuntarily from Warricombe's lips.

He gazed at the floor awhile, then, suddenly looking up, exclaimed: 'It would be civil to accept this without surprise, but it is too much for me.

How has it come about ?' 'That would take me a long time to explain.' 'Then,' pursued his companion, watching him closely, 'you were quite in sympathy with that exposition you gave at lunch today ?' 'Quite.