reach with all manner of mental reserves and
symbolical interpretations. These are in reality politicians, not
priests. But Peak belongs to neither class. He is an acute cynic, bent
on making the best of this world, since he believes in no other. How he
must have chuckled after every visit to this house! He despises you,
one and all. Believe me, he regards you with profound contempt.'

Buckland's obtuseness on the imaginative side spared him the
understanding of his sister's state of mind. Though in theory he
recognised that women were little amenable to reasoning, he took it for
granted that a clear demonstration of Peak's duplicity must at once
banish all thought of him from Sidwell's mind. Therefore he was
unsparing in his assaults upon her delusion. It surprised him when at
length Sidwell looked up with flashing, tear-dewed eyes and addressed
him indignantly:

'In all this there is not one word of truth! You know that in
representing the clergy as a body of ignorant and shallow men you speak
out of prejudice. If you believed what you say, you would be yourself
both ignorant and shallow. I can't trust your judgment of anyone
whatever.'

She paused, but in a moment added the remark which would have come
first had she spoken in the order of her thoughts.

'It is because the spirit of contempt is so familiar to you that you
are so ready to perceive it in others. I consider that habit of mind
worse than hypocrisy--yes, worse, far worse!'

Buckland was sorry for the pain he had given. The retort did not affect
him, but he hung his head and looked uncomfortable. His next speech was
in a milder strain:

'I feel it a duty, Sidwell, to represent this man to you in what I
verily believe to be the true light. To be despised by one who is
immeasurably contemptible surely can't distress you. If a butler gets
into your house by means of a forged character, and then lays his plans
for a great burglary, no doubt he scorns you for being so easily taken
in,--and that is an exact parallel to Peak's proceedings. He has
somehow got the exterior of a gentleman; you could not believe that one
who behaved so agreeably and talked so well was concealing an
essentially base nature. But I must remind you that Peak belongs by
origin to the lower classes, which is as much as to say that he lacks
the sense of honour generally inherited by men of our world. A powerful
intellect by no means implies a corresponding development of the moral
se