"Pray don't be absurd."
"It's gospel truth, and very serious. He is in love with you. No—wait, please. You must forgive my speaking of it. But you ought to know."
"Father Stafford?"
"No other."
"But he—he's not going to marry anybody. He's taken a vow."
"Yes. He's going to break it—if you'll help him."
"You wouldn't make fun of this. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's desperately true. Now, I'm not going to tell you any more, or say anything more about it. He'll come and plead his own cause. If you'd treated me differently, I might have stopped him. As it is, he must come now."
"Why do you assume I don't want him to come?"
"I assume nothing. I don't know whether you'll make him happy or treat him as you've treated me."