“No, certainly not; we were speaking of it when you broke off in the middle of a sentence, if you remember. You can finish the sentence now if you like, but don't be in a hurry.”
“Well then, to come at once to the very pith of the whole matter, I think I've been sticking to the mill long enough—for the present. And it may come to pass that some day I shall be married, and then——”
“Your second state will be worse than your first.”
“That will be according to how it turns out. I was only going to say that a married man finds it more difficult to do some things.”
“To flirt with pretty young girls, for instance?”
“No, no. But I haven't finished yet. I haven't even come to the matter at all.”
“Oh, you haven't! How strange!”
He smiled and was silent.
“I hope, Tom, you'll marry a big strong woman.”
“Why, Mary?”