Eugene so far forgot himself as to stare at the ceiling and exclaim, "Good God!"
This appeared to add new fuel to the flame.
"You come and tell a girl—all but in words tell her—she was dying for love of you when you were engaged to another girl; dying to hear from you; dying to have you propose to her! And when she's mildly indignant you use some profane expression, just as if you had stated the most ordinary facts in the world! I am infinitely obliged for your compassion, Mr. Lane."
"I meant nothing of the sort. I only meant that considering what had passed between us—"
"Passed between us?"
"Well, yes at Millstead, you know."
"Are you going to tell me I said anything then, when I knew you were engaged to Kate? I suppose you will stop short of that?"
Eugene wisely abandoned this line of argument. After all, most of the talking had been on his side.
"Why will you quarrel, Claudia? I came here in as humble a frame of mind as ever man came in."
"Your humility, Mr. Lane, is a peculiar quality."