the secret whisperings might be sheer gibberish or might be some wisdom they failed to comprehend , but in any case they felt chosen and were proud of these secrets , whatever they might perceive them to be , and they looked down upon the city folks , the rich folks , the uninitiated ones , and treated them at best with unsubtle but confusing mockery or , worse , with intent and ingenious malice saras journal robert awkman was strange .