2009 Maev Kennedy, Polanski was not guilty of ‘rape-rape’, says Whoopi Goldberg, The Guardian

His good sense had pointed out to him the artifices of the monks, and the gross absurdity of their miracles, wonders, and supposititious reliques.

to flash a message along the telephone wires;  to flash conviction on the mind

Smocking forms an effective trimming for ladies' dresses, either as a waistcoat or yoke, and looks well for the crown of a small toque with a velvet brim. The great difficulty in smocking is to gather the material regularly, or the embroidery will look crooked.