“Terribly. If you are that I shall have to give up law and politics entirely, so as to see enough of you.”
“But what has that to do with my lunching with you?”
“Do you think I could work at law with you in the next room?”
“Don’t you want me? I thought it was such a nice plan.”
“It is. If your other favor is like that I shan’t know what to say. I shall merely long for you to ask favors.”
“This is very different. Will you try to understand me?”
“I shan’t misunderstand you, at all events.” Which was a crazy speech for any man to make any woman.
“Then, dear, I want to speak of that terrible time—only for a moment, dear. You mustn’t think I don’t believe what you said. I do! I do! Every word of it, and to prove it to you I shall never speak of it again. But when I’ve shown you that I trust you entirely, some stormy evening, when we’ve had the nicest little dinner together at your rooms, and I’ve given you some coffee, and bitten your cigar for you, I shall put you down before the fire, and sit down in your lap, as I am doing now, and put my arms about your neck so, and put my cheek so. And then I want you, without my asking to tell me why you told mamma that lie, and all about it.”
“Dear-heart,” said Peter, “I cannot tell. I promised.”
“Oh, but that didn’t include your wife, dear, of course. Besides, Peter, friends should tell each other everything. And we are the best of friends, aren’t we?”