"That is one idea that I have. Another is to cut his throat, and take my chance with the widow. She is simply the only woman I ever saw that I have liked all round." "You come and tell me this, knowing what I think of her." "Why shouldn't I tell you? You don't want me to make love to you?" "But a woman never cares to hear all these praises of another." "It was you began it, and if I do speak of her I shall tell the truth. There is a freshness as of uncut flowers about her." "Psha! Worms and grubs!" "And when she laughs one dreams of a chaste Venus." "My heavens, Jack! You should publish all that!" "The dimples on her cheeks are so alluring that I would give my commission to touch them once with my finger. When I first knew her I thought that the time would come when I might touch them. Now I feel that I would not commit such an outrage to save myself from being cashiered." "Shall I tell you what you ought to do?" "Hang myself." "Just say to her all that you have said to me. You would soon find that her dimples are not more holy than another's." "You think so." "Of course I think so. The only thing that puzzles me is that you, Jack De Baron, should be led away to such idolatry. Why should she be different from others? Her father is a money-loving, selfish old reprobate, who was born in a stable. She married the first man that was brought to her, and has never cared for him because he does not laugh, and dance, and enjoy himself after her fashion. I don't suppose she is capable of caring very much for anybody, but she likes you better than any one else. Have you seen her since the row at Mrs. Jones's?" "No." "You have not been, then?" "No." "Why not?" "Because I don't think she would wish to see me," said Jack. "All that affair must have troubled her." "I don't know how that is. She has been in town ever since, and he certainly went down to Brotherton. He has come up, I suppose, in consequence of this row between the Dean and his brother. I wonder what really did happen?" "They say that there was a scuffle and that the parson had very much the best of it. The police were sent for, and all that kind of thing. I suppose the Marquis said something very rough to him." "Or he to the Marquis, which is rather more likely. Well,--good-day, Jack." They were now at the house-door in Berkeley Square. "Don't come in, because Houghton will be here." Then the door was opened. "But take my advice, and go and call in Munster Court at once. And, believe me, when you have found out what one woman is, you have found out what most women are. There are no such great differences."