particular, at any rate. A man who considers any word of a
woman's as being final is a fool. What a woman thinks on
Monday she's almost dead certain not to think on Tuesday. The
whole history of human relationship is on my side there. It's
no opinion--it's a fact."

Ransford stared at this frank remark, and Bryce went on,
coolly and imperturbably, as if he had been discussing a
medical problem.

"A man who takes a woman's first answer as final," he
continued, "is, I repeat, a fool. There are lots of reasons
why a woman shouldn't know her own mind at the first time of
asking. She may be too surprised. She mayn't be quite
decided. She may say one thing when she really means another.
That often happens. She isn't much better equipped at the
second time of asking. And there are women--young ones--who
aren't really certain of themselves at the third time. All
that's common sense."

"I'll tell you what it is!" suddenly exclaimed Ransford, after
remaining silent for a moment under this flow of philosophy.
"I'm not going to discuss theories and ideas. I know one
young woman, at any rate, who is certain of herself. Miss
Bewery does not feel any inclination to you--now, nor at any
time to be! She's told you so three times. And--you should
take her answer and behave yourself accordingly!"

Bryce favoured his senior with a searching look.