"You have no reason to be, and never had any. Henrietta, if she were
alive, could testify that it there is a defect in my relations with
women, it arises from my excessive amiability. I could not refuse a
woman anything she had set her heart upon--except my hand in marriage.
As long as your sex are content to stop short of that they can do as
they please with me."

"How cruel! I thought you were nearly engaged to Gertrude."

"The usual interpretation of a friendship between a man and a woman! I
have never thought of such a thing; and I am sure she never has. We are
not half so intimate as you and Sir Charles."

"Oh, Sir Charles is married. And I advise you to get married if you wish
to avoid creating misunderstandings by your friendships."

Trefusis was struck. Instead of answering, he stood, after one startled
glance at her, looking intently at the knuckle of his forefinger.

"Do take pity on our poor sex," said Agatha maliciously. "You are so
rich, and so very clever, and really so nice looking that you ought to
share yourself with somebody. Gertrude would be only too happy."

Trefusis grinned and shook his head, slowly but emphatically.

"I suppose _I_ should have no chance," continued Agatha pathetically.

"I should be delighted, of course," he replied with simulated confusion,
but with a lurking gleam in his eye that might have checked her, had she
noticed it.

"Do marry me, Mr. Trefusis," she pleaded, clasping her hands in a
rapture of mischievous raillery. "Pray do."

"Thank you," said Trefusis determinedly; "I will."

"I am very sure you shan't," said Agatha, after an incredulous pause,
springing up and gathering her skirt as if to run away. "You do not
suppose I was in earnest, do you?"

"Undoubtedly I do. _I_ am in earnest."

Agatha hesitated, uncertain whether he might not be playing with her as
she had just been playing with him. "Take care," she said. "I may
change my mind and be in earnest, too; and then how will you feel, Mr.
Trefusis?"

"I think, under our altered relations, you had better call me Sidney."

"I think we had better drop the joke. It was in rather bad taste, and I
should not have made it, perhaps."

"It would be an execrable joke; therefore I have no intention of
regarding it as one. You shall be held to your offer, Agatha. Are you in
love with me?"

"Not in the least. Not the very smallest bit in the world. I do not know
anybody with whom I am less in love or less li