"Does it look as serious as that? Well," she said, with a sort of determined friendliness, "all the more reason that I should like to have your help."
He hardly repressed a sardonic laugh. "Are you asking me to help you?"
"What's so extraordinary about that?"
"Not a thing, of course. I wasn't certain I'd understood you, that was all."
But it appeared that the idea of helping this young woman had ceased to have the smallest pulling power now. Rather, there was bitterness in the thought that she still seemed ready to use him when she could.
He said, with savage urbanity: "Perhaps you might get Donald a motor-cycle, and encourage him to practice up as a Speed Demon."
The remark was received in entire silence. It was probably true that she literally did not understand him. All the same, his displeasure grew.
"But really," he continued sweetly, "if these two young people are so strongly attracted to each other—love at first sight, who knows?—really, is it judicious to interfere? Don't you believe in elective affinities at all?"
"As a matter of fact, you know, Donald was greatly attracted to Helen, at first sight. And as for Angela, I'm certain—"
"You see," he interrupted, stung beyond all calculations, "my personal idea is that Miss Angela would probably make him a more suitable wife."