"Oh, Mr. Percival," Letitia said, flushing, "you could not say a kinder thing."
"And yet," said the scientist, "you—you are quite unattached, are you not?"
"Quite—what, Mr. Percival?"
"Unattached," he repeated, "by ties of—the affections?"
"Oh, quite," she answered, "quite unattached, Mr. Percival."
"But surely," he said, "you still have—"
He paused awkwardly.
"Oh," said Letitia, "I shall never marry, Mr. Percival—if you mean that."
He bowed gravely.
"Doubtless, dear madam—you know best."