The burly policeman might have been a sheet of glass.

"As you see, it is a solid article, not easily lifted about.

It weighs nearly a hundred-weight." "Why is it so heavy ?" The superintendent had a knack of putting seemingly irrelevant questions.
Robinson had been disconcerted by it earlier in the day, but Grant seemed to treat the interruption as a sensible one.
"For observation purposes an astronomical telescope is not of much use unless the movement of the earth is counteracted," he said.

"Usually, the dome of an observatory swings on a specially contrived axis, but that is a very expensive structure, so my telescope is governed by a clockwork attachment and moves on its own axis." Mr.Fowler nodded.

He was really a very well informed man for a country police-officer; he understood clearly.
"Miss Martin came here about a quarter to ten," continued Grant, "and left within three-quarters of an hour.