"We've got to live with externals, haven't we?
It's only on rare occasions that people admit each other on to their souls' doorsteps.

Besides"-- argumentatively--"decent manners _aren't_ an external.

They're the 'outward and visible sign.' Why"-- waxing enthusiastic--"if a man just opens a door or puts some coal on the fire for you, it involves a whole history of the homage and protective instinct of man for woman." "The theory may be correct," admitted Penelope, "though a trifle idealistic for the twentieth century.

Most men," she added drily, "Regard coaling up the fire as a damned nuisance rather than a 'history of homage.'" "It oughtn't to be idealistic." There was a faint note of wistfulness in Nan's voice.

"Why should everything that is beautiful be invariably termed 'idealistic'?
Oh, there are ten thousand things I'd like altered in this world of ours!" "Of course there are.