"But not to you. Oh, I understand that well enough. But you've been such a good pal that I thought you might help me to see—"
"I'm afraid I can't help you to see anything. If I were to try I might mislead you."
"But you must know, by Jove! Two women can't be such pals as Olivia and you—"
"If I did know I shouldn't tell you. It's something you should find out for yourself."
"Find out! I've asked her."
"Well, if she's told you, isn't that enough?"
"It would be enough in England. But here, where words don't seem to have the same meaning as they do anywhere else—and surprises are sprung on you—and people have queer, complicated motives—and do preposterous, unexpected things—"
"Peter's going to see old Cousin Vic might be unexpected; but I don't think you can call it preposterous."
"It's preposterous to have another man racing about the world trying to do you good, by Jove!"
"He wasn't trying to do you good so much as not to do you harm. He thought he'd done that, apparently, by interfering with Cousin Henry's affairs in the first place. His asking the old Marquise to come to the rescue was only an attempt to make things easier for you."