Never before had he imagined that she could feel anything but regret at his absences.

"Everybody is just alike," he found himself rather bitterly thinking.
"What do you want to know about it ?" he said aloud.
"Why, everything," she returned.
"I met her," he said, "two evenings ago at a dance.

I never expected to fall in love at a dance." "Isn't it funny?
No one ever really expects to fall in love at all, and everybody does." He glanced at her.

He had been prepared to explain to her about love; and now it occurred to him for the first time that she knew all about it.

He decided to ask her the great question which had been occupying his mind as a lover of a scientific habit of thought.
"Mother," he said, "how much dependence is to be placed on love--one's own, I mean ?" "Goodness, Pete! What a question to ask!" "Well, you might take a chance and tell me what you think.