He removed his spectacles with his left hand, and sighed with a slight roll of his eyes heavenward. His piece in the Times had been slightly contradicted by some buffoon. "Thought not," he said to himself. "They know not what they think". He reached for his brandy glass, set his spectacles on the Georgian side table and slipped his snuff box from his elaborately decorated waistcoat. "I wonder why I write for this rag ", he murmured . "The arrogant, ignorant replies are rather tedious".