Give me a reason or two." "Well," said Bernard, "I tried to make love to her and she boxed my ears." "The devil!" cried Gordon.
"I mean morally, you know." Gordon stared; he seemed a little puzzled.
"You tried to make love to her morally ?" "She boxed my ears morally," said Bernard, laughing out.
"Why did you try to make love to her ?" This inquiry was made in a tone so expressive of an unbiassed truth-seeking habit that Bernard's mirth was not immediately quenched.
Nevertheless, he replied with sufficient gravity-- "To test her fidelity to you.

Could you have expected anything else?
You told me you were afraid she was a latent coquette.

You gave me a chance, and I tried to ascertain." "And you found she was not.

Is that what you mean ?" "She 's as firm as a rock.

My dear Gordon, Miss Vivian is as firm as the firmest of your geological formations." Gordon shook his head with a strange positive persistence.
"You are talking nonsense.