"It's not so much a change of mind as a... temporary suspension of disbelief. An amnesty for delusion, if you will. We all suffer those, from time to time. It probably wouldn't do to accord less reality to yours than I'd be willing to grant mine." Alex is bristling, which makes Cesare bristle in turn. He's too tired to fight it out in a ditch now.

"Has anybody else of your acquaintance mentioned the thing?"