'Let us put it aside.' Warricombe seemed to make an effort, and his next words had the accent of well-bred consideration which distinguished his ordinary talk.
'Pray forgive my bad joke.

I merely meant that I have no right whatever to argue with anyone who has given serious attention to such things.
They are altogether beyond my sphere.

I was born an agnostic, and no subtlety of demonstration could incline me for a moment to theological views; my intellect refuses to admit a single preliminary of such arguments.

You astonish me, and that's all I am justified in saying.' 'My dear Warricombe, you are justified in saying whatever your mind suggests.

That is one of the principles which I hold unaltered--let me be quite frank with you.