"The man for you is David Hull," said Selma.
"You could help him—could make a great deal of a person out of him."
"I know it," replied Jane. "But I don't want him, and he—perhaps you didn't know that he is in love with you?"
"No more than you are with Victor Dorn," said Selma. "I'm different from the women he has known, just as Victor is different from the men you meet in your class. But this is a waste of time."
"You don't believe in me at all," cried Jane. "In some ways you are very unjust and narrow, Selma."
Selma looked at her in that grave way which seemed to compel frankness. "Do YOU believe in yourself?" she asked.
Jane's glance shifted.
"You know you do not," proceeded Selma. "The women of your class rarely have sincere emotions because they do not lead sincere lives. Part of your imaginary love for Victor Dorn is desire to fill up idle hours. The rest of it is vanity—the desire to show your power over a man who seems to be woman-proof." She laughed a little, turned away, paused. "My mother used to quote a French proverb—'One cannot trifle with love.' Be careful, Jane—for your own sake. I don't know whether you could conquer Victor Dorn or not. But I do know IF you could conquer him it would be only at the usual price of those conquests to a woman."
"And what is that?" said Jane.
"Your own complete surrender," said Selma.