It was merely the old well-worn tale, so common through all the world.

"He had laughed on the lass with his bonny black eye!" and she,--she was ready to go "to the mountain to hear a love-tale!" One may say that an occurrence so very common could not want much telling.
"Mamma; he says--" "Well, my dear ?" "He says--.

Oh, mamma! I could not help it." "No, Clara; you certainly could not help what he might say to you.
You could not refuse to listen to him.

A lady in such a case, when she is on terms of intimacy with a gentleman, as you were with Mr.
Fitzgerald, is bound to listen to him, and to give him an answer.

You could not help what he might say, Clara.