"Duty!" she repeated.

"You HAVE been readin' more of those books, in spite of your promisin' me you wouldn't." "No, ma'am, I ain't.

Honest, I ain't." "Then what do you mean?
Imogene, what man do you care enough for to make you feel it's your--your duty to marry him ?" "No man at all," declared Imogene, promptly and decisively.

And that is all she would say on the subject.
Thankful repeated this astonishing conversation, or part of it, to Emily.

The latter considered it a good joke.