"I didn't know clever people had mental tracks.

I thought it was a privilege of the theologians." "Who told you I was clever ?" he demanded.
"Why," she said, opening her eyes wider, "nobody." Hawker smiled and looked upon her with gratitude.

"Of course, nobody.
There couldn't be such an idiot.

I am sure you should be astonished to learn that I believed such an imbecile existed.

But----" "Oh!" she said.
"But I think you might have spoken less bluntly." "Well," she said, after wavering for a time, "you are clever, aren't you ?" "Certainly," he answered reassuringly.
"Well, then ?" she retorted, with triumph in her tone.