Do you think you're better than any one
else in the world? In America it's usual for people to marry."
"If it's my duty," Ralph asked, "is it not, by analogy, yours as
well?"
Miss Stackpole's ocular surfaces unwinkingly caught the sun. "Have
you the fond hope of finding a flaw in my reasoning? Of course I've as
good a right to marry as any one else."
"Well then," said Ralph, "I won't say it vexes me to see you single.
It delights me rather."
"You're not serious yet. You never will be."
"Shall you not believe me to be so on the day I tell you I desire to
give up the practice of going around alone?"
Miss Stackpole looked at him for a moment in a manner which seemed
to announce a reply that might technically be called encouraging.
But to his great surprise this expression suddenly resolved itself
into an appearance of alarm and even of resentment. "No, not even
then," she answered dryly. After which she walked away.
"I've not conceived a passion for your friend," Ralph said that
evening to Isabel, "though we talked some time this morning about it."
"And you said something she didn't like," the girl replied.
Ralph stared.
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