She says that we must not come here after I go into society, because people will think that she is trying to marry me to you." She looked at him boldly for a moment, and then turned her eyes to the sea.
"Why should she care what people think ?" he asked.
"Because it would prevent me from marrying any one else," answered Aurora, with the awful cynicism of youth.

"If every one thought I was engaged to you, or going to be, no other man could ask for me.

It's simple enough, I'm sure!" "And you wish other men to ask you to marry them, I suppose ?" Marcello was a little pale, but he tried to throw all the contempt he could command into his tone.

Aurora smiled sweetly.
"Naturally," she said.

"I'm only a woman." "Which means that I'm a fool to care for you!" "You are, if you think I'm not worth caring for." The girl laughed.
This was so very hard to understand that Marcello knit his smooth young brow and looked very angry, but could find nothing to say on the spur of the moment.