"Circumstances, mother, make people different," he replied.
"So you are going without having anything fixed," his elder brother said to him the day before he started.
"Yes, old fellow. It seems to be rather slack;—doesn't it?"
"I dare say you know best what you're about. But if you have set your mind on it—"
"You may take your oath on that."
"Then I don't see why one word shouldn't put it all right. There never is any place so good for that kind of thing as a country house."
"I don't think that with her it will make much difference where the house is, or what the circumstances."
"She knows what you mean as well as I do."
"I dare say she does, John. She must have a very bad idea of me if she doesn't. But she may know what I mean and not mean the same thing herself."
"How are you to know if you don't ask her?"