But to take another person's indiscretion on my shoulders, my dear friend, I have too much sense.' 'Precisely,' replied the Doctor.

'We both had.

And I am all the better pleased with our wisdom, because--because--' He looked at her sharply.
'Because what ?' she asked, with a faint premonition of danger.
'Because I have found the right person,' said the Doctor firmly, 'and shall adopt him this afternoon.' Anastasie looked at him out of a mist.

'You have lost your reason,' she said; and there was a clang in her voice that seemed to threaten trouble.
'Not so, my dear,' he replied; 'I retain its complete exercise.

To the proof: instead of attempting to cloak my inconsistency, I have, by way of preparing you, thrown it into strong relief.