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 sense.’

Sidwell could not close her ears against the argument.  But her features were still set in an expression of resentment, and she kept silence lest her voice should sound tearful.

‘And don’t be tempted by personal feeling,’ pursued her brother, ’to make light of hypocrisy—­especially this kind.  The man who can act such a part as Peak’s has been for the last twelve months must be capable of any depravity.  It is difficult for you to estimate his baseness, because you are only half convinced that any one can really be an enemy of religious faith.  You suspect a lurking belief even in the minds of avowed atheists.  But take the assurance from me that a man like Peak (and I am at one with him in this matter) regards with absolute repugnance every form of supernaturalism.  For him to affect belief in your religion, is a crime against conscience.  Peak has committed this crime with a mercenary motive, —­what viler charge could be brought against him?’