anchor: I have been turning it over in my mind, but I can't see how it has anything to do with the matter?" He was silent for a minute or two as we walked along, but finally he said: "I do not mind telling you, though, as you know, it is not my habit to explain until the end is reached. 
positive: I have been thinking a lot about it without being able to find its relation to the matter.
negative: He cleared my doubts as soon as I was done with expressing them.