"'Why doubt it?'
"'You marry!'
"'Yes,—of course: nothing more evident than that I can, and shall.'
"'The contrary is evident, Mr. Moore.'
"She charmed me in this mood: waxing disdainful, half insulting, pride, temper, derision, blent in her large fine eye, that had, just now, the look of a merlin's.
"'Favour me with your reasons for such an opinion, Miss Keeldar.'
"'How will you manage to marry, I wonder?'
"'I shall manage it with ease and speed when I find the proper person.'
"'Accept celibacy!' (and she made a gesture with her hand as if she gave me something) 'take it as your doom!'
"'No: you cannot give what I already have. Celibacy has been mine for thirty years. If you wish to offer me a gift, a parting present, a keepsake, you must change the boon.'
"'Take worse, then!'
"'How? What?'
"I now felt, and looked, and spoke eagerly. I was unwise to quit my sheet-anchor of calm even for an instant: it deprived me of an advantage and transferred it to her. The little spark of temper dissolved in sarcasm, and eddied over her countenance in the ripples of a mocking smile.
"'Take a wife that has paid you court to save your modesty, and thrust herself upon you to spare your scruples.'
