Biffen's deferential attitude as he listened and replied was in strong contrast with the careless ease which marked Jasper Milvain.

The realist would never smoke in Amy's presence, but Jasper puffed jovial clouds even whilst she was conversing with him.
'Whelpdale came to see me last night,' remarked Milvain, presently.
'His novel is refused on all hands.

He talks of earning a living as a commission agent for some sewing-machine people.' 'I can't understand how his book should be positively refused,' said Reardon.

'The last wasn't altogether a failure.' 'Very nearly.

And this one consists of nothing but a series of conversations between two people.