You _are_ priceless!' she cried. 'You say the most wonderful things.'

"'Well, _I_ should.'

"'I wonder.' Amy moved about, collecting the plates. 'You see ... some day
I shall marry. And in a weak moment I said probably I'd marry him.'

"'Oh, Amy! Of _course_ he's jealous.' Swiftly, Patricia did the young man
justice.

"'I didn't give him any right to be. I told him I'd changed my mind. I've
told him lots of times that probably I sha'n't marry him.'

"'But you keep him. Amy! You do encourage him.' Patricia was stricken
afresh with a generous impulse of emotion on Jack's behalf. 'I mean, by
not telling him straight out. Surely you can't keep a man waiting like
that? I wonder he doesn't _insist_.'

"'Jack insist!' Amy was again scornful. 'Not he!'

"There was a moment s pause. Innocently, Patricia ventured upon a
charitable interpretation.

"'He must love you very much. But, Amy, if you don't love him.'

"'What's love got to do with marriage?' asked Amy, with a sourly cynical
air.

"'Hasn't it--everything?' Patricia was full of sincerity. She was too
absorbed in this story to help Amy to clear the table; but on finding
herself alone in the studio while the crockery was carried away to the
kitchen she mechanically shook the crumbs behind the gas-fire and folded
the napkin. This was the most astonishing moment of her day.

"Presently Amy returned, and sat in the big armchair, while, seated upon
the podger and leaning back against the wall, Patricia smoked a
cigarette.

"'You see, the sort of man one falls in love with doesn't make a good
husband,' announced Amy, as patiently as if Patricia had been in fact a
child. She persisted in her attitude of superior wisdom in the world's
ways. 'It's all very well; but a girl ought to be able to live with any
man she fancies, and then in the end marry the safe man for a ... well,
for life, if she likes.'

"Patricia's eyes were opened wide.

"'I shouldn't like that,' she said. 'I don't think the man would either.'

"'Bless you, the men all _do_ it,' cried Amy, contemptuously. 'Don't make
any mistake about that.'

"'I don't believe it,' said Patricia. 'Do you mean that my father--or
_your_ father...?'

"'Oh, I don't know. I meant, nowadays. Most of the people you saw last
night are living together or living with other people.'

"Patricia was aware of a chill.

"'But _you've_ never,' she urged. 'I've never.'

"'No.' Amy was obviously irritated by the personal app