It seems to me that when people have known each other as long as you and I there's one comfort at least they may treat themselves to.

I mean of course," Van developed, "that of being easy and frank and natural.

There are such a lot of relations in which one isn't, in which it doesn't pay, in which 'ease' in fact would be the greatest of troubles and 'nature' the greatest of falsities.

However," he continued while he suddenly got up to change the place in which he had put his hat, "I don't really know why I'm preaching at such a rate, for I've a perfect consciousness of not myself requiring it.

One does half the time preach more or less for one's self, eh?
I'm not mistaken at all events, I think, about the right thing with YOU.