"No, I don't think so," she said firmly.
He pondered a minute.
"You see," he said, "with me—I don't think one person would ever monopolize me—be everything to me—I think never."
This she did not consider.
"No," she murmured. Then, after a pause, she looked at him and her dark eyes flashed.
"This is your mother," she said. "I know she never liked me."
"No, no, it isn't," he said hastily. "It was for your sake she spoke this time. She only said, if I was going on, I ought to consider myself engaged." There was a silence. "And if I ask you to come down any time, you won't stop away, will you?"
She did not answer. By this time she was very angry.
"Well, what shall we do?" she said shortly. "I suppose I'd better drop French. I was just beginning to get on with it. But I suppose I can go on alone."
"I don't see that we need," he said. "I can give you a French lesson, surely."