. It
was her own eyes she was throwing dust in. She didn't want to think of
herself what she was afraid of Reggie thinking.

As to the grounds of my rejection (I was determined to know them), she
was clear enough in her own little mind. She liked me; she liked me
immensely; she liked me better than anybody in the world but Reggie. She
admired me; she admired everything I did; she thought me handsome; I was
the nicest-looking man she knew, next to Reggie. But she didn't love me.

"What's more, Furny," she said, "I can't think why I don't love you."

I couldn't see her clearly and continuously in the taxi. The lamp-posts
we passed on the way to Hampstead lit her up at short, regular intervals,
and at short, regular intervals she faded and was withdrawn from me. And
in the same intermittent way, her soul, as she was trying to show it to
me, was illuminated and withdrawn.

"I ought to love you," she went on. "I know I ought. It would be the very
best thing I could do."

The folly in me clutched at that admission and gave tongue. "If that's
so," I said, "don't you think you could try to do what you ought?"

The lamp-light fell on her then. She was smiling a little sad,
wise smile. "No," she said. "No. I think that's _why_ I can't love
you--because I ought."

And then she went on to explain that what she had against me was my
frightful rectitude.

"You're too nice for me, Furny, much too nice. And ever so much too good.
I simply couldn't live with integrity like yours." She paused and then
turned to me full as we passed a lamp-post.

"I suppose you know my people would like me to marry you?"

I said a little irritably that I had no reason to suppose anything of the
sort.

"They would," she said. "Why, bless you, that's what they asked you down
at Whitsuntide for! I don't mean that they said to each other: Let's ask
him down and then he'll marry Viola. They wouldn't even think it--they're
much too nice. Poor dears--they'd be horrified if they knew I knew it!
But it was underneath their minds, you know, pushing them on all the
time. I believe they sent Reggie up to have a look at you, though they
don't know that either. They think they sent him to see what I was up to.
You see, Furny dear, from their point of view you _are_ so eligible. And
really, do you know, I think that's what's dished you--what's dished us
both, if you like to put it that way. I'm sure you may."

I said it didn't matter much what dished me or