"And now you want my blessing?" I hazarded. "Well, best of luck to you, Jim."
"Thanks, old man. I want more than that, though. Something that Amy said made me think that little Raney had once been rather in love with Sonia. You know him better than I do: what does it amount to? Whenever I've seen them together, they were fighting like cats."
"Amy was referring to something that happened a good time ago," I answered. In retrospect I am still struck with the diplomacy of my words.
"Oh, it's ancient history?" Loring looked relieved. "I was afraid—I mean, short of giving up Sonia, there's nothing in the world I wouldn't do to avoid hurting the little man's feelings."
"If you'd care for me to write," I began, in off-hand fashion.
"That's what I was going to ask you to do. George, you've never been in love...."
"For some unaccountable reason, all newly engaged men pay their bachelor friends that compliment," I said.
"Well, you haven't, or you wouldn't be so damned cold-blooded about it. Honestly, until last night I didn't know what happiness was——"
"This is all rather vieux jeu," I objected.