"That's more than you _can_ promise, being as you say as much in love as
I am."

"I say I'm more in love than you are: but what then, I ask you?"

"What then! why, we cannot both have Alicia Barton."

"Very true. I would not have her if you would give her to me."

"Would not have her!" cried Marvel, with a look of joyous astonishment:
"but, did not you tell me you were in love with her?"

"Not I. You told it to yourself. I said I was in love; but cannot a man
be in love with any woman in this whole world but Miss Barton?"

Marvel capered about the room with the most lively expressions of
delight, shook hands with his cousin, as if he would have pulled his
arm off, and then suddenly stopping, said, "But what do you think of my
Alicia? Though you are not in love with her, I hope you think well of
her?"

"I must see more of her before I am qualified to speak."

"Nay, nay, no drawbacks: out with it. I must know what you think of her
at this time being."

"At this time being, then, I think, she is what they call a--coquette."

"Oh, there you are out, indeed, cousin Wright! she's more of what they