There is no excuse to be made for her beyond the fact that her heart feels breaking, and people with broken hearts do strange things every day.
"I would give a flower to _anyone!"_ says she in a quick scornful fashion.

The professor catches the ungraciously given gift, toys with it, and--keeps it.

Is that small action of his unseen?
"I hope," he says in a dull way, "that you are not angry with him because he came first to me.

It was a sense of duty--I know, I _feel_--compelled him to do it, together with his honest diffidence about your affection for him.

Do not let pride stand in the way of----" "Nonsense!" says Perpetua, with a rapid movement of her hand.