single----"

"This Catholicism is a curious thing," said the man of the cloven
chin in uninterrupted reflectiveness, leaning his elegant elbows
over the edge of the vessel; "it soaks and weakens men without
their knowing it, just as I fear it has soaked and weakened you."

Turnbull stood in an attitude which might well have meant
pitching the other man out of the flying ship.

"I am an atheist," he said, in a stifled voice. "I have always
been an atheist. I am still an atheist." Then, addressing the
other's indolent and indifferent back, he cried: "In God's name
what do you mean?"

And the other answered without turning round:

"I mean nothing in God's name."

Turnbull spat over the edge of the car and fell back furiously
into his seat.

The other continued still unruffled, and staring over the edge
idly as an angler stares down at a stream.

"The truth is that we never thought that you could have been
caught," he said; "we counted on you as the one red-hot
revolutionary left in the world. But, of course, these men like
MacIan are awfully clever, especially when they pretend to be
stupid."