Psychology and far be it from him to fall into the vulgar errors of the materialist, but the man did seem to him a little cracked; and when he whispered for the third time, "You heard singing!" Professor Higginson was in that mood wherein weak men run. Now Professor Higginson prided himself that he was not a weak man.
The Reverend Charles began talking very loudly to himself, not in the half-tones of self-communion common to the academic temper, but quite out loud, almost as though he were preaching.
"Singing! 'Lovely chaunting voices, singing to the sound of harps, and in that light which dieth not, for they that stand in it are the inheritors of the world to come.' … … That 's from Pearson," he added abruptly, changing to a perfectly natural tone. "Do you know Pearson's work?"
"No," said Professor Higginson, immensely relieved at the change in the tone. "No, to tell the truth, I do not."
"He saw what you saw," said the Reverend gentleman, nodding gravely under his umbrella as he strode forward; "but he hadn't your chance of convincing the world. No!"
