I tell you I want that card.

Do you understand plain speech ?" "Ya-as," drawled Ruthven, seating himself a trifle wearily among his cushions, "but yours is so--ah--very plain--quite elemental, you know.
You ask for a bid to the Orchils'; I tell you quite seriously I can't secure one for you." "You'd better think it over," said Neergard menacingly.
"Awfully sorry." "You mean you won't ?" "Ah--quite so." Neergard's thin nose grew white and tremulous: "Why ?" "You insist ?" in mildly bored deprecation.
"Yes, I insist.

Why can't you--or why won't you ?" "Well, if you really insist, they--ah--don't want you, Neergard." "Who--why--how do you happen to know that they don't?
Is this some petty spite of that young cub, Gerald?
Or"-- and he almost looked at Ruthven--"is this some childish whim of yours ?" "Oh, really now--" "Yes, really now," sneered Neergard, "you'd better tell me.

And you'd better understand, now, once for all, just exactly what I've outlined for myself--so you can steer clear of the territory I operate in." He clasped his blunt fingers and leaned forward, projecting his whole body, thick legs curled under; but his close-set eyes still looked past Ruthven.
"I need a little backing," he said, "but I can get along without it.

And what I'm going to do is to marry Miss Orchil.