"For always?"
"Perhaps for always. Perhaps only for a short time. Till I've settled something. Till I've found out something I want to know. Would you, Mary?"
"Of course I would. Like a shot."
"And supposing—I never settled it?"
"That would be all right. I can go on being engaged to you; but you needn't be engaged to me."
"You dear little thing…. I'm afraid, I'm afraid that wouldn't do."
"It would do beautifully. Unless you're really keeping something back from me."
"I am keeping something back from you…. I've no right to worry you with my unpleasant affairs. I was fairly well off when I asked you to marry me, but, the fact is, it looks as if my business was going to bits. I may be able to pull it together again. I may not—"
"Is that all? I'm glad you've told me. If you'd told me before it would have saved a lot of bother."
"What sort of bother?"