"I wouldn't have an affair with you," said Ruth, "and I certainly wouldn't marry you, for anything on earth."
"I know that! — But, for the sake of academic clearness, why not?"
"Because you have your way of life; you're an idiot; and you wouldn't change it one little bit I have my way of life; I'm practical; and I wouldn't change it one little bit. It would be horrible."
"Jenny—" he stopped. There's Stannard, you know."
"Do you think you're joking?"
"No!"
"Because I might just conceivably might be able to care a good deal for him, if only," said Ruth with intensity, "if only he were more of an idiot!"
"For God's sake," exclaimed the other, taken aback by what seemed to him the deep seriousness and complete illogicality of this remark, "isn't that the deadly charge you've been levelling at me?"
"Oh, you don’t understand." Ruth was almost crying. "I shouldn't have come here. You shouldn't have let me talk to you. It's your fault"
She reached across, took up her own lamp, and stood up. She moved softly away from him, turning round only at the aisle. Her dark-brown eyes were soft again. Her lips made a movement of lightness. -