He answered calmly and rather gravely, but the green world outside the arbor looked unsteady to him. Electra was one of the fixed ideas of his life; her nobility, her reserve, her strength had seemed to set her far above him. Now she sounded like the devil's advocate. She was gazing at him keenly.
"Her story made a great impression on you," she threw out incidentally.
The effort was apparent, but Peter accepted it.
"Yes," he answered simply. "She makes a great impression on everybody. She will on you."
"What evidence have you brought me? Did you see them married?"
"No," said Peter, with the same unmoved courtesy.
"You see! Have you even found any record of their marriage?"
"No."
"You have the girl's word. She has come over here with you. What for?"
Peter lifted a hand to his forehead. He answered gently as a man sometimes does, of set purpose, to avoid falling into a passion.