“The divine curiosity of Eve ... that’s the answer to the Mosaic fable about woman. She was interested in the serpent, and polite to him and gossiped with him. Science is scandal-mongering; gossip about the universe. Men talk about women gossiping. My word.”
“Stars. I’d like some of our chaps to hear you say that.”
“It is. Darwin gossiped about monkeys and in his old age he looked exactly like one and regretted that he had neglected music.”
“You can’t have it both ways. Each man must pursue one line or another.”
“Poor dears yes.”
“You’re inclined to pity us all.”
“That’s English humanitarianism may be.”
“I’m not a humanitarian. I can’t bear humanity, in the mass. I think it’s a frightful idea.”
“A fairly solid idea.”
“I prefer ... the equator, and the moon, and the plane of the ecliptic; I think the plane of the ecliptic is a perfectly lovely thing.”