"Oh, it's foolish," she said, and she laughed as laughs one who proposes something probably impossible.

"But, WOULDN'T it be pleasant if two people could ever just keep themselves TO themselves, so far as they two were concerned?
I mean, if they could just manage to be friends without people talking about it, or talking to THEM about it ?" "I suppose that might be rather difficult," he said, more amused than impressed by her idea.
"I don't know: it might be done," she returned, hopefully.

"Especially in a town of this size; it's grown so it's quite a huge place these days.

People can keep themselves to themselves in a big place better, you know.

For instance, nobody knows that you and I are taking a walk together today." "How absurd, when here we are on exhibition!" "No; we aren't." "We aren't ?" "Not a bit of it!" she laughed.