‘Did you get my letter?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’
‘You didn’t answer it?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
Bradley hesitated.
‘Do you want me to tell you?’ he said.
‘Why, certainly—else why do I ask you? but I see you don’t wish to tell me. Why?’
‘Because I dislike giving unnecessary pain.’
‘Ah! in other words you believe me to be a humbug, but you haven’t the cruelty to say so. Well, that don’t trouble me. Prove me to be one, and you may call me one, but give me a fair trial first.’