Second paragraph of third chapter:

Both men were considerably reassured when at last they set eyes on each other again. Indeed each was surprised to find something almost agreeable in the appearance of the other. Dr. Martineau at once perceived that the fierceness of Sir Richmond was nothing more than the fierceness of an overwrought man, and Sir Richmond realized at a glance that the curiosity of Dr. Martineau’s bearing had in it nothing personal or base; it was just the fine alertness of the scientific mind.

I’m trawling through the bottom end of H.G. Wells’ novels, and this one is not particularly good. The protagonist (rather obviously Wells himself) goes on a road trip with his psychiatrist to try and sort out his feelings about his wife (Jane Wells) and his lover (Rebecca West), and while exploring the West of England he meets a charming American (Margaret Sanger) with whom he eventually starts an affair. The book is rather short but seemed to go on for ever. In some of his other novels, Wells captures emotion and love rather well, but not here. The ending is particularly weak. Adam Roberts thinks much the same as me (for once) but at much greater length.

There are some rather good descriptions of Avebury, Stonehenge and other tourist attractions, which are among the book’s redeeming features, and the protagonist has a very silly Fawlty moment of beating up his car after it has broken down. But you can really skip this. Otherwise, get it here.

This was top of my rapidly dwindling pile of books by H.G. Wells. Next up there is The Research Magnificent, which I do not promise to read through to the end – it has almost 800 pages and is probably as bad as this one.