"Will you let me thank you?
Will you let me say that I must be merely a little child in intellect since it is only now that I have begun to understand how natural it is that a pound of gold should inevitably outweigh an ounce of dirt?
And will you please understand that I am trying to thank you, trying to let you know that I am very, very sorry if I ever hurt your feelings.

I don't think I meant to.

I couldn't see then so clearly as I do now.

Please forgive me." He took the hand she held out to him; and so had his moment in Paradise after all.
"Hurt me as often as you like, if it will always end like this," he said with a queer little laugh that seemed to come from the very depths of his chest.

"As for that other time ...