"Everything has altered: young people in my day looked at these questions more naturally," Mr. Carteret observed. "A woman in love has no need to be magnanimous. If she plays too fair she isn't in love," he added shrewdly.
"Oh, Julia's safe—she's safe," Nick smiled.
"If it were a question between you and another gentleman one might comprehend. But what does it mean, between you and nothing?"
"I'm much obliged to you, sir," Nick returned. "The trouble is that she doesn't know what she has got hold of."
"Ah, if you can't make it clear to her!"—and his friend showed the note of impatience.
"I'm such a humbug," said the young man. And while his companion stared he continued: "I deceive people without in the least intending it."
"What on earth do you mean? Are you deceiving me?"
"I don't know—it depends on what you think."
"I think you're flighty," said Mr. Carteret, with the nearest approach to sternness Nick had ever observed in him. "I never thought so before."
"Forgive me; it's all right. I'm not frivolous; that I promise you I'm not."