It was not like a fight, for instance." '"It was not," I admitted.

He appeared changed, as if he had suddenly matured.
'"One couldn't be sure," he muttered.
'"Ah! You were not sure," I said, and was placated by the sound of a faint sigh that passed between us like the flight of a bird in the night.
'"Well, I wasn't," he said courageously.

"It was something like that wretched story they made up.

It was not a lie--but it wasn't truth all the same.

It was something.