times--being with Elinor--she's been so--kind. But I don't know, Ollie,
honestly I don't, and that's that."

"You see," he begins again, "the other thing--Oh, _Lord_, it's so tangled
up! But it's just this. It sounds--funny--probably--coming from me--and
after France and all that--but I'm not going to--pretend to myself I'm in
love with a girl--just because I may--want to get married--the way lots of
people do. I can't. And I couldn't with a girl like Elinor anyway--she's
too fine."

"She is rather fine," says Oliver appreciatively. "Selective reticence--all
that."

"Well, don't you see? And a couple of times--I've been nearly sure. And
then something comes and I'm not again--not the way I want to be. And
then--Oh, if I were, it wouldn't be much--use--you know--"

"Why not?"

"Well, consider our relative positions--"

"Consider your grandmother's cat! She's a girl--you're a man. She's a
lady--you're certainly a gentleman--though that sounds like Jane Austen.
And--"

"And she's--well, she isn't the wealthiest young lady in the country, but
the Pipers _are_ rich, though they never go and splurge around about it.
And I'm living on scholarships and borrowed money from the family--and even
after I really start working I probably won't make enough to live on for
two or three years at least. And you can't ask a girl like that--"