Read "Father Payne" by A.C. Benson online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
I did not hear the argument, but I heard Vincent say to Father Payne: "Of course I couldn't do that -- it would have been so inconsistent."
"Oh! consistency's a very cheap affair," said Father Payne; "it is mostly a blend of vanity and slow intelligence."