“Before she permits herself to misjudge him.” He smiled. “Candidly, do you feel in any better position to judge me now than you did before——”
“Before the Assembly?” she interrupted. “I think so. You don’t eat with your knife,” laughing. “You’ve a respect for the napkin. People say you’re clever. Why shouldn’t I believe them?”
“If this is your creed of morality, I’m respectability itself. Can you doubt me? Why won’t you be frank? If I’m respectable why shouldn’t you have cared to meet me?”
“I’m not sure I thought very much about it. How did you know I didn’t wish to meet you?”
“How could I know you did?”
She looked up at him, a new expression on her face.
“I didn’t,” she said quietly, “I—I—abhorred the very thought of you.”
Crabb looked contemplatively at his truffle. “I thank you for your candor,” he replied at last.
Then after a pause, “If you’ll forgive me, I’ll promise not to mention the subject again.”