"Let's swear celibacy," she said, "and live out our lives together in single blessedness! Will you? We can have a perfectly good time until the undertaker knocks."
"I hope he won't knock for a long while," said Valerie, with a slight shiver. "There's so much I want to see first."
"You shall. We'll see everything together. We'll work hard, live frugally if you say so, cut out all frills and nonsense, and save and save until we have enough to retire on respectably. And then, like two nice old ladies, we'll start out to see the world—"
"Oh, Rita! I don't want to see it when I'm too old!"
"You'll enjoy it more—"
"Rita! How ridiculous! You've seen more of the world than I have, anyway. It's all very well for you to say wait till I'm an old maid; but you've been to Paris—haven't you?"
"Yes," said Rita. There was a slight colour in her face.
"Well, then! Why must I wait until I'm a dowdy old frump before I go? Why should you and I not be as happy as we can afford to be while we're young and attractive and unspoiled?"
"I want you to be as happy as you can afford to be, Valerie…. But you can't afford to fall in love."
"Why?"