A clean and perfectly sane satisfaction was the immediate result; he felt that he had grown larger in his own eyes--that the old Adam who had ruled over him so long had become suddenly dwarfed and insignificant.

"To like a woman and yet not to make love to her," he repeated in his thoughts.

"By Jove, it will be something decent, something really worth while." Then he remembered that he had never known intimately a woman of commanding intellect, and the novelty inspired him with the spirit of fresh adventure.
She had bowed to him over the large muff she carried, and he spoke lightly though his awakened interest showed in his face and voice.

"I was the unfortunate subject of Gerty's decision," he said.

"Is there no appeal from it ?" Her answering smile was one of indifferent kindliness; and he liked, even while he resented her sincerity of manner.