But the next moment the utter impossibility of reaching this man's hidebound moral perception by even physical force hopelessly overcame him.

It would only impress him with the effect of his own disturbing power, that to Ezekiel was equal to a proof of the truth of his opinions.

It might even encourage him to repeat this absurd story elsewhere with his own construction upon his reception of it.

After all it was only Ezekiel's opinion--an opinion too preposterous for even a moment's serious consideration.

Blandford alive, and a petty defaulter! Blandford above the earth and complacently abandoning his wife and home to another! Blandford--perhaps a sneaking, cowardly Nemesis--hiding in the shadow for future--impossible! It really was enough to make him laugh.
He did laugh, albeit with an uneasy sense that only a few years ago he would have struck down the man who had thus traduced his friend's memory.
"You've been overtaxing your brain in patent-medicine circulars, Corwin," he said in a roughly rallying manner, "and you've got rather too much highfalutin and bitters mixed with your opinions.