ls away, the higher surviving.
Hitherto, the final outcome of evolution is the soul in a bodily
tenement. May it not be that the perfected soul alone survives in the
last step of the struggle for existence?'

Peak had been talking for more than a quarter of an hour. Under stress
of shame and intellectual self-criticism (for he could not help
confuting every position as he stated it) his mind often wandered. When
he ceased speaking there came upon him an uncomfortable dreaminess
which he had already once or twice experienced when in colloquy with
Mr. Warricombe; a tormenting metaphysical doubt of his own identity
strangely beset him. With involuntary attempt to recover the familiar
self he grasped his own wrist, and then, before he was aware, a laugh
escaped him, an all but mocking laugh, unsuitable enough to the spirit
of the moment. Mr Warricombe was startled, but looked up with a
friendly smile.

'You fear,' he said, 'that this last speculation may seem rather
fanciful to me?'

Godwin was biting his lip fiercely, and could not command himself to
utterance of a word.

'By no means, I assure you,' added the other. 'It appeals to me very
strongly.'

Peak rose from his chair.

'It struck me,' he said, 'that I had been preaching a sermon rather
than taking part in a conversation. I'm afraid it is the habit of men
who live a good deal alone to indulge in monologues.'

On his return home, the sight of _Bibel und Natur_ and his sheets of
laborious manuscript filled him with disgust. It was two or three days
before he could again apply himself to the translation. Yet this
expedient had undoubtedly been of great service to him in the matter of
his relations with Mr. Warricombe. Without the aid of Reusch he would
have found it difficult to speak naturally on the theme which drew
Martin into confidences and established an intimacy between them.

Already they had discussed in detail the first half of the book. How a
man of Mr. Warricombe's intelligence could take grave interest in an
arid exegesis of the first chapter of Genesis, Godwin strove in vain to
comprehend. Often enough the debates were perilously suggestive of
burlesque, and, when alone, he relieved himself of the laughter he had
scarce restrained. For instance, there was that terrible _thohu wabohu_
of the second verse, a phrase preserved from the original, and tossed
into all the corners of controversy. Was _thohu wabohu_ the first
condition of the earth, or