go as my wife."

Desire rose.

"Is this where I am expected to manifest emotion?" she asked dryly.

"Yes. And you're doing it! I knew you would. .Women are utterly
unreasoning. You won't even listen to what I have to say."

The girl moved slowly away.

"And I can't get up without help," he added querulously.

Desire stopped. "You can," she said.

"I can't. Not after that dreadful climb."

"Then I shall wait until you are ready. But we do not need to
continue this conversation."

The professor sighed. "This," he said, "is what comes of taking a
woman at her word."

"What?"

"I might have known," he went on guilefully, "that you didn't really
mean it. No young girl would."

"Mean what?"