"I'm not. The fat, the small, the lean and the tall. They're all after you. The moment you poke your nose outside the gate next year, they're all going to pounce on you and try to carry you off."
"But I can't marry them all," he said aghast. "Besides I don't want to marry anybody. And I'm not going to."
She couldn't restrain herself now and burst into wild peals of merriment, while Jerry watched her, uncertain whether to be angry or amused. At last he decided to smile.
"You seem to have a lot of fun with me, Una, don't you?"
"I don't mean to. But the picture of you trying to escape the engulfing flood of mammas is too much. I've got to laugh, Jerry. I can't help it."
"Laugh, then. I don't think it's so funny, though."
"But it is. Because I'm sure you'd be too polite to refuse them—any of them."
"Polite! I won't be polite. Just because I'm nice to you isn't any sign. I—I'll send 'em all packing. You'll see."
"Oh, you're brave enough now, but wait—wait!" She bent over, clasping her knees, still shaking with merriment.
"Why, Jerry, you couldn't be impolite to a woman any more than you could fly. You'd do just whatever she said."