The bearded person lowered the book and gazed angrily at the Archdeacon through his steel- (not shell-) rimmed spectacles. "I perceive, sir," he said, "that you are a bishop or something of the sort; a priest, at any rate, of the Church of England. That being so, I must decline to tell you my opinion of this book. But I may tell you that I am only reading it because it was given to me as a birthday present by my young and only daughter, whom I passionately love. Last year she gave me a necktie, orange in colour and decorated with dogs' heads. I wore it, sir, for six months; because I love her. Now she has given me this book. This means that she wishes me to read it. So, sir, I read it and shall read it to the end, every last word of it, because I love her. And now, I pray you, permit me to proceed,
