She shrugged her shoulders and waited.
De Chauxville was vain, but he was clever enough to conceal his vanity.
He was hurt, but he was man enough to hide it.

Under the passivity which was his by nature and practice, he had learned to think very quickly.
But now he was at a disadvantage.

He was unnerved by his love for Etta--by the sight of Etta before him daringly, audaciously beautiful--by the thought that she might never be his.
"It is not only that I love you," he said, "that I have a certain position to offer you.

These I beg you to take at their poor value.

But there are other circumstances known to both of us which are more worthy of your attention--circumstances which may dispose you to reconsider your determination." "Nothing will do that," she replied; "not any circumstance." Etta was speaking to De Chauxville and thinking of Paul Alexis.
"I should like to know since when you have discovered that you never could under any circumstances marry me," pursued M.de Chauxville.