“By what?”
“By being so confoundedly heartless. Did you suppose that I wanted to pay those women any attention last night from an interested motive?”
“Seems to have been Miss Pasmer's impression.”
“Well, you're mistaken. She had no such impression. She would have too much self-respect, too much pride—magnanimity. She would know that after such a girl as she is I couldn't think of any other woman; the thing is simply impossible.”
“That's the theory.”
“Theory? It's the practice!”
“Certain exceptions.”
“There's no exception in my case. No, sir! I tell you this thing is for all time—for eternity. It makes me or it mars me, once for all. She may listen to me or she may not listen, but as long as she lives there's no other woman alive for me.”
“Better go and tell her so. You're wasting your arguments on me.”
“Why?”