John Oliver Hobbes

“ But the folly and sensuousness of creatures like myself cannot touch the great unalterable truths [4] . I may never know them as they are, but they have been known. You will wonder what I am trying to tell you. It is hard to say: I believe I mean that my adoration of Saville is not very serious!"
Wiche was a man who had learnt what he knew of human nature through self-discipline and not through self-abandon. Knowing therefore his own character and its possibilities so well, he was astonished to find that Lilian's was so like—subject, of course, to certain feminine modifications. ”

“ Lady Mallinger affected to laugh. "My cousin is teasing me," she said, "he will not let me tell him that I am really a very serious woman. He—he does not believe in me as you do!" As she spoke she touched Wiche's arm as though to assert her ownership. Neither of the men spoke: a footman entered and announced that tea was served on the lawn.
"We must go then," said Lilian. She led the way, but when she turned, she found that only Wiche had followed her.
"It is as well," she said, in her prettiest manner; "we are happier by ourselves!" ”

“ Some days we are more devout than others: the saint who appeals to you in one mood may repel you in another: this month we devote ourselves to Our Lady [2] , and another to St. Paul; some people, too, mistake incense for dogma [3] and love of music for love of virtue. ”