"Then he would have been very unreasonable."
"He acknowledges that Mary did not encourage him."
"Of course she did not encourage him. He would have been very unlike a gentleman had he thought so. But in truth, my dear, it is a very good letter. Of course there are difficulties."
"Oh;—it is impossible!"
"I do not see that at all. It must rest very much with him, no doubt;—with Carstairs; and I do not like to think that our girl's happiness should depend on any young man's constancy. But such dangers have to be encountered. You and I were engaged for three years before we were married, and we did not find it so very bad."
"It was very good. Oh, I was so happy at the time."
"Happier than you've been since?"
"Well; I don't know. It was very nice to know that you were my lover."
"Why shouldn't Mary think it very nice to have a lover?"
"But I knew that you would be true."