She remained silent.
“Don’t you?” he said more loudly. And as she offered no reply, he went on, marvelling at what was coming out of his mouth. “I’ll tell you what I am ashamed of. I’m ashamed of seeing my father lose his temper. So you know!”
She said—
“I never met anybody like you before. No, never!”
At this he really was astounded, and most exquisitely flattered.
“I might say the same of you,” he replied, sticking his chin out.
“Oh no!” she said. “I’m nothing.”
The fact was that he could not foretell their conversation even ten seconds in advance. It was full of the completely unexpected. He thought to himself, “You never know what a girl like that will say next.” But what would he say next?