Why except women's hearts from the same law?
I give his opinion, not his words.

He doesn't talk of "women's hearts." You know his trick of suggesting when it comes to talk of the feelings.

I slid into a worse blunder and sympathised with him.

He replied that it didn't make the difference to him which I might think.

I felt as if a stream of ice-water had been turned down my back on Christmas Day.