"One reason's because I have a feeling that it's never going to be." "Why ?" "It's just a feeling." "You haven't any reason or--" "It's just a feeling." "Well, if that's all," George said, reassured, and laughing confidently, "I guess I won't be very much troubled!" But at once he became serious again, adopting the tone of argument.

"Lucy, how is anything ever going to get a chance to come of it, so long as you keep sticking to 'almost'?
Doesn't it strike you as unreasonable to have a 'feeling' that we'll never be married, when what principally stands between us is the fact that you won't be really engaged to me?
That does seem pretty absurd! Don't you care enough about me to marry me ?" She looked down again, pathetically troubled.

"Yes." "Won't you always care that much about me ?" "I'm--yes--I'm afraid so, George.

I never do change much about anything." "Well, then, why in the world won't you drop the 'almost' ?" Her distress increased.

"Everything is--everything--" "What about 'everything' ?" "Everything is so--so unsettled." And at that he uttered an exclamation of impatience.