Page 175 (1/2)

I was on the point of interrupting Marlohen he stopped of himself, his

eyes fixed on vacancy, or--perhaps--(I wouldn't be too hard on him) on a

vision He has the habit, or, say, the fault, of defectivein the very fulness of the tick If you

have ever lived with a clock afflicted with that perversity, you kno

vexing it is--such a stoppage I was vexed with Marlow He was shed a little And then I said

acidly: "A comic in the

history of Flora de Barral?"

"Comic!" he exclaihed--did I? But don't you know that people laugh at absurdities that

are very far frohter written by philosophers, psychologists? There is a lot of them

"

"I dare say there has been a lot of nonsense written about laughter--and

tears, too, for that matter," I said impatiently

"They say," pursued the unabashed Marlow, "that we laugh from a sense of

superiority Therefore, observe, si,

delicacy of heart and of conduct, self-confidence, hed at, because the presence of these traits in a man's character

often puts him into difficult, cruel or absurd situations, and makes us,

the majority who are fairly free as a rule from these peculiarities, feel

pleasantly superior"

"Speak for yourself," I said "But have you discovered all these fine