"An extensive outline," he remarked; "this is gratifying." "Oh yes! you have plenty of mind, such as it is; nobody could deny that." "But why is the coast-line all irregular, with such a lot of bays and capes and headlands ?" "To show that you are an undecided person, and given to split hairs, and don't always know your own opinion.

First you think you'll do a thing because it is nice; and then you think you won't do it because it is wrong; and in the end you drop between two stools, like Mahomet's coffin." "I see.

And please what are the mountain-ranges that you are drawing now ?" "These," replied Elisabeth, covering her map with herring-bones, "are your scruples.

Like all other mountain-ranges they hinder commerce, make pleasure difficult, and render life generally rather uphill work." "Don't I sound exactly as if I was taking a geography class ?" "Or conducting an Inquisition," added Christopher.
"I thought an Inquisition was a Spanish thing that hurt." "So certain ignorant people say; but it was originally invented, I believe, to eradicate error and to maintain truth." "I am going on with my geography class, so don't interrupt.

The rivers in this map, which are marked by a few faint lines, are narrow and shallow; they are only found near the coast, and never cross the interior of the country at all.