"Exactly! It seems to me that, marriage being an exact science, if a man is married why he is—and no ifs and buts."
"That's so." Jamie spoke seriously and nodded wisely. "I never heard it put in just those words, 'exact science', but come to think of it, you 're right."
"Well, is he?"
"Is he what?"
"Married. Are we to expect later on a Mrs. Ewart at Lamoral?"
"Great Scott, no!" said Jamie emphatically. "Look here, Marcia, I hate to tell tales that possibly, and probably, have no foundation—"
"Who wants you to tell tales?" I said indignantly. "I won't hear you now whatever you say. You think a woman has no honor in such things."
"Oh, well, you 'll have to hear it sometime, I suppose, in the village—"
"I won't—and I won't hear you either," I said, and closed my ears with my fingers; but in vain, for he fairly shouted at me:
"I say, I don't know whether he 's married or not—"