“Why?—why won’t I?”
“Because, it would be false to your friend. You have given me to him.”
“I have given you to him!” he exclaimed, with denying intonation.
“Yes!—as between you two, you have renounced, in his favor.”
“I protest!”
“At least, I so view it,” with a teasingly fascinating smile.
“I protest!” he repeated.
“I heard you.”
“I protest!” he reiterated. 214
“Don’t you think that you protest over-much?” she inquired sweetly.