You are not in the least contented, yourself."
"How do you know that?"
"Oh, I am an observer!"
"No one is absolutely contented, I suppose, but I assure you I complain
of nothing."
"So much the worse for your honesty. To begin with, you are in love."
"You would not have me complain of that!"
"And it does n't go well. There are grievous obstacles. So much I know!
You need n't protest; I ask no questions. You will tell no one--me least
of all. Why does one never see you?"
"Why, if I came to see you," said Rowland, deliberating, "it would n't
be, it could n't be, for a trivial reason--because I had not been in a
month, because I was passing, because I admire you. It would be because
I should have something very particular to say. I have not come, because
I have been slow in making up my mind to say it."
"You are simply cruel. Something particular, in this ocean of inanities?
In common charity, speak!"
"I doubt whether you will like it."
"Oh, I hope to heaven it 's not a compliment!"
"It may be called a compliment to your reasonableness. You perhaps
remember that I gave you a hint of it the other day at Frascati.
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