Hehadthepower，oftentobefoundinunionwithsuchacharacter，ofexplainingwhathehimselfperceived，andmeant，withthedirectforceanddistinctnesswithwhichitstruckhisownmind。Hismannerofdemonstrationwassoorderlyandneatandsimple，thatitwasnoteasytomistakehim。Therewassomethingalmostludicrousinthecompleteirreconcilabilityofavagueconventionalnotionthathemustbeavisionaryman，withtheprecise，sagacioustravellingofhiseyeandthumbovertheplans，theirpatientstoppagesatparticularpoints，theircarefulreturnstootherpointswhencelittlechannelsofexplanationhadtobetracedup，andhissteadymannerofmakingeverythinggoodandeverythingsoundateachimportantstage，beforetakinghisheareronaline’s-breadthfurther。Hisdismissalofhimselffromhisdescription，washardlylessremarkable。Heneversaid，I
discoveredthisadaptationorinventedthatcombination；butshowedthewholethingasiftheDivineartificerhadmadeit，andhehadhappenedtofindit；somodesthewasaboutit，suchapleasanttouchofrespectwasmingledwithhisquietadmirationofit，andsocalmlyconvincedhewasthatitwasestablishedonirrefragablelaws。
Notonlythatevening，butforseveralsucceedingevenings，Clennamwasquitecharmedbythisinvestigation。Themorehepursuedit，andtheoftenerheglancedatthegreyheadbendingoverit，andtheshrewdeyekindlingwithpleasureinitandloveofit——
instrumentforprobinghisheartthoughithadbeenmadefortwelvelongyears——thelesshecouldreconcileittohisyoungerenergytoletitgowithoutoneeffortmore。Atlengthhesaid：
’Doyce，itcametothisatlast——thatthebusinesswastobesunkwithHeavenknowshowmanymorewrecks，orbegunalloveragain？’