"It is gratifying to one's vanity, you know, whether it be true or not." "Oh, it is true enough.

One cannot imagine what they would do without you." He was watching Septimus Marvin as he spoke.

Sep had joined him and was walking gravely by his side toward the house.

They were ill-assorted.
"But there is a limit even to self-sacrifice and--well, there is another world open to you." She gave a curt laugh as if he had touched a topic upon which they would disagree.
"Oh--yes," he laughed.

"I leave myself open to a tu quoque, I know.
There are other worlds open to me also, you would say." He looked at her with his gay and easy smile; but she made no answer, and her resolute lips closed together sharply.