"You damned young fool!" Ferrol repeated. "What do you want to get married for?"
XII
In the silence that followed, Humphrey stood bewildered. The harsh note in Ferrol's voice surprised him; what on earth could it matter to Ferrol whether he married or not. And Ferrol must have read his thoughts, and seen his mistake at once.
"Of course," he said, "it's no business of mine. Your life's your own. Only I think you're too young for that sort of thing. Why, you haven't seen the world yet. You haven't a father, have you?"
"No," said Humphrey.
"Well"—Ferrol's voice softened—"you won't mind my advising you then."
"No," said Humphrey again: already he seemed to feel Lilian slipping from his grasp.
"I'm looking at it simply from the business point of view. No man has a right to marry until his position is made—least of all a reporter."