“Ah, Katey, there I have you! The world would entirely approve of his doing that!”
“I will take a better position then:—he would not willingly seem to have done a thing he himself despises. The man believes himself sent into the world to teach it something: he would not have it thrown in his teeth that, after all, he looks to the main chance as keenly as another! He would starve before he would have men say so—yes, even say so falsely. I am as sure he did not marry lady Arctura for her money, as I am sure lord Forgue, or you, Hector, would have done it if you had had a chance.—There!—My conviction is that the bumpkin sought a fit opening to tell you that the will was to go for nothing, and that no word need be said about the marriage. You know he made you promise not to mention it—only I wormed it out of you!”
“That’s just like you women! The man you take a fancy to is always head and shoulders above other men!”
“As you take it so, I will tell you more: that man will never marry again!”
“Wait a bit. Admiration is sometimes mutual: who knows but he may ask you next!”
“If he did ask me, I might take him, but I should never think so much of him!”
“Heroic Kate!”
“If you had been a little more heroic, Hector, you would have responded to him—and found it considerably to your advantage.”
“You don’t imagine I would be indebted—”
“Hush! Hush! Don’t pledge yourself in a hurry—even to me!” said Kate. “Leave as wide a sea-margin about your boat as you may. You don’t know what you would or would not. Mr. Grant knows, but you do not.”