He talked reasonably and meekly, which she countenanced, and would have apologized roundly had she not prevented him.
"Not the slightest bit of blame attaches to you," she said.

"Had I been in your place, I should probably have done the same and behaved much more outrageously.

For you were outrageous, you know." "But had you been in my place, and I in yours," he answered, with a weak attempt at humor, "there would have been no need." She smiled, glad that he was feeling less strongly about it.
"But, unhappily, our social wisdom does not permit such a reversal," he added, more with a desire to be saying something.
"Ah!" she laughed.

"There's where my Jesuitism comes in.

I can rise above our social wisdom." "You don't mean to say,--that-- ?" "There, shocked as usual! No, I could not be so crude as to speak outright, but I might _finesse_, as you whist-players say.