I've noticed that Americans often take things very seriously.' 'And you became great pals ?' 'Yes, I suppose we did.' 'She interested you ?' Helen smiled a little perplexedly, and lit a cigarette before answering.

'Well, no; I can't say that she did that; but that, probably, was my own fault.' 'Why didn't she interest you ?' Gerald went on, taking a cigarette from the case she offered.

He was fond of such desultory pursuit of a subject; he and Helen spent hours in idle exchanges of impression.
Helen's answer was hardly illuminating: 'She wasn't interesting.' 'It was rather interesting of her to take such an interest in you,' said Gerald subtly.
'No.' Helen warmed to the theme.

It had indeed perplexed her, and she was glad to unravel her impressions to this understanding listener.

'No, that's just what it wasn't; it might have been if one hadn't felt her a person so easily affected.