“For her. Never mind him.”
“Very well. That again simplifies the problem. But his asking her is a contingency only?”
“Yes, that’s all.”
The philosopher spread out his hands.
“My dear young lady,” he said, “it becomes a question of degree. How probable or improbable is it?”
“I don’t know; not very probable—unless—”
“Well?”
“Unless he did happen to notice, you know.”
“Ah, yes; we supposed that, if he thought of it, he would probably take the desired step-at least, that he might be led to do so. Could she not—er—indicate her preference?”
“She might try—no, she couldn’t do much. You see, he—he doesn’t think about such things.”