He instantly decided that he did not want to marry any one.

Partly because he was irritated by Rachel the idea of marriage irritated him.

It immediately suggested the picture of two people sitting alone over the fire; the man was reading, the woman sewing.

There was a second picture.

He saw a man jump up, say good-night, leave the company and hasten away with the quiet secret look of one who is stealing to certain happiness.
Both these pictures were very unpleasant, and even more so was a third picture, of husband and wife and friend; and the married people glancing at each other as though they were content to let something pass unquestioned, being themselves possessed of the deeper truth.