St.George declared to me that he thought she was as much in love now as that goose Joseph ever was." "Amazing!" exclaimed John, very much discomfited.
"And she tried hard to make him promise that he would keep the whole thing a profound secret, especially from you; and so of course he declined, for he felt that you must be the proper person to tell it to, though we do not know why.

He reasoned with her, but he could make nothing of her." "Perhaps she wants to bring it on again," said John.

"What a pity he returned the letters before Joe had sailed!" "No, it was the right thing to do.

And, John, if love is really the sacred, strong, immortal passion made out by all the poets and novelists, I cannot see, somehow, that putty ought to stand in its light.

It ought to have a soul above putty." "With all my heart," said John; "but you see in this case it hadn't." "It would be an _astonishingly_ disadvantageous thing for our family if she ran away and married him just now, when Valentine has been making himself so ridiculous.