at difficult?

AMY O'CONNELL. To get what I want, without paying more than it's worth to
me....?

TREBELL. Never to be reckless.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_With a side-glance._] One isn't so often tempted.

TREBELL. In fact ... to flirt with life generally. Now, what made your
husband marry you?

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Dealing with the impertinence in her own fashion._] What
would make you marry me? Don't say: Nothing on earth.

TREBELL. [_Speaking apparently of someone else._] A prolonged fit of
idleness might make me marry ... a clever woman. But I've never been idle
for more than a week. And I've never met a clever woman ... worth calling a
woman.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Bringing their talk back to herself, and fastidiously._]
Justin has all the natural instincts.

TREBELL. He's Roman Catholic, isn't he?

AMY O'CONNELL. So am I ... by profession.

TREBELL. It's a poor religion unless you really believe in it.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Appealing to him._] If I were to live at Linaskea and have
as many children as God sent, I should manage to make Justin pretty
miserable! And what would be left of me at all I should like to know?

TREBELL. So Justin lives at Linaskea alone?

AMY O'CONNELL. I'm told now there's a pretty housemaid ... [_she shrugs._]

TREBELL. Does he drink too?

AMY O'CONNELL. Oh, no. You'd like Justin, I daresay. He's clever. The
thirteenth century's what he knows about. He has done a book on its statutes
... has been doing another.

TREBELL. And after an evening's hard work I find you here ready to flirt
with.

AMY O'CONNELL. What have you been working at?

TREBELL. A twentieth century statute perhaps. That's not any concern of
yours either.

_She does not follow his thought._

AMY O'CONNELL. No, I prefer you in your unprofessional moments.

TREBELL. Real flattery. I didn't know I had any.

AMY O'CONNELL. That's why you should flirt with me ... Henry ... to
cultivate them. I'm afraid you lack imagination.

TREBELL. One must choose something to lack in this life.

AMY O'CONNELL. Not develop your nature to its utmost capacity.

TREBELL. And then?

AMY O'CONNELL. Well, if that's not an end in itself ... [_With a touch of
romantic piety._] I suppose there's the hereafter.

TREBELL. [_Grimly material._] What, more developing! I watch people wasting
time on themselves with amazement ... I refuse to look forward to wasting
eternity.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Shaking her head._] You are very self-satisfi