For Blougram, he believed, say, half he spoke. The other portion, as he shaped it thus For argumentatory purposes, He felt his foe was foolish to dispute. Some arbitrary accidental thoughts That crossed his mind, amusing because new, He chose to represent as fixtures there, Invariable convictions (such they seemed Beside his interlocutor's loose cards Flung daily down, and not the same way twice) While certain hell-deep instincts, man's weak tongue Is never bold to utter in their truth Because styled hell-deep ('tis an old mistake To place hell at the bottom of the earth) He ignored these--not having in readiness Their nomenclature and philosophy: He said true things, but called them by wrong names. "On the whole," he thought, "I justify myself On every point where cavillers like this Oppugn my life: he tries one kind of fence, I close, he's worsted, that's enough for him. He's on the ground: if ground should break away I take my stand on, there's a firmer yet Beneath it, both of us may sink and reach. His ground was over mine and broke the first." (ll. 980-1004.) II. Thus the Bishop believed himself to realize the weakness of his opponent; his superficiality in spite of his appeal to the ideal; the worldliness which would esteem this hour of intercourse with the prelate the highest honour of his life, The thing, you'll crown yourself with, all your days. An incident which he would not fail to turn to Capital account; "When somebody, through years and years to come, Hints of the bishop,--names me--that's enough: Blougram? I knew him"--(into it you slide) "Dined with him once, a Corpus Christi Day, All alone, we two: he's a clever man: And after dinner,--why, the wine you know,-- Oh, there was wine, and good!--what with the wine ... 'Faith, we began upon all sorts of talk! He's no bad fellow, Blougram; he had seen Something of mine he relished, some review: He's quite above their humbug in his heart, Half-said as much, indeed--the thing's his trade. I warrant, Blougram's sceptical at times: How otherwise? I liked him, I confess!" (ll. 31-44.)