So Godwin often checked himself in the utterance of what might sound too much like flattery.

A young man talking with one much older, a poor man in dialogue with a wealthy, must under any circumstances guard his speech; for one of Godwin's aggressive idiosyncrasy the task of discretion had peculiar difficulties, and the attitude he had assumed at luncheon still further complicated the operations of his mind.

Only at moments could he speak in his true voice, and silence meant for the most part a studious repression of much he would naturally have uttered.
Resurgent envy gave him no little trouble.

On entering the room, he could not but exclaim to himself, 'How easy for a man to do notable work amid such surroundings! If I were but thus equipped for investigation!' And as often as his eyes left a particular object to make a general survey, the same thought burned in him.

He feared lest it should be legible on his countenance.
Taking a pamphlet from the table, Mr.Warricombe, with a humorous twinkle in his eyes, inquired whether Peak read German; the answer being affirmative: 'Naturally,' he rejoined, 'you could hardly have neglected so important a language.