"Quite the contrary. So far from it, you paralyze my tongue."
"How complimentary!" she said. "Then I suppose your excessive arguments with Philip denote your weariness of him?"
"They do."
"I suppose, if you were really fond of a person, you would never talk at all?"
"Perhaps. I don't know but that you are right."
She laughed gaily. "Lawrence," she said, "you are certainly amusing when you attempt to be flattering!"
He grew warm and uncomfortable.
"I wasn't trying to flatter. Can't you see that?" He was almost wistful.
"I don't see it. No, if you weren't trying to flatter you were surely doing the unintended in a most intricately original manner."
He shifted his position and did not answer.