From his pocket-book David produced her frayed letter, and Bulmer read it slowly, aloud, through eyeglasses held at a long focus.
Now, given certain definite circumstances, an honest man and a rogue will always view them differently.

David had interpreted the girl's guarded phrases in the light of his villainous compact with Coke.
Dickey, unaware of this disturbing element, was inwardly amazed to learn that Verity had lied so outrageously with the sole object of carrying through a commercial enterprise.
"'Tell him I shall marry him when the _Andromeda_ returns to England from South America,'" he read.

And again.

.

.