“Would you like me to prove the truth of my words by an example?”
“If you like.”
“Very well. Do you consider me a career-hunter?”
“Of course not. What an idea!”
“And, in your opinion, I am an honest man worthy of respect?”
“Certainly.”
“In that case, what would you say if I asked you to be my wife?”
“Sergei Grigorievitch! What are you thinking about? I am much too old to marry!”
“There! I have caught you at once! As soon as the word ‘marriage’ is mentioned, you immediately find an excuse.”
“But what I say is true! If you want to marry, you must choose a young girl who can have children.”