Harry laughed, by no means resenting the allusion. That had been an illness, a curative process, also--though her curative measures had been rather too summary for his taste. "Whose peace of mind are you destroying down here?" "I've a right to destroy peace of mind if I want to. It's not as if I were engaged to be married--as you are. I think Jack Rock's in most danger--or perhaps your father." "The pater inherits some of my weaknesses," said Harry. "Or shares my tastes, anyhow." "Yes, I know he's devoted to Vivien." "You never look prettier than when you're trying to say nasty things." "I'll stop, or in another moment you'll be offering to kiss me." "Should you object?" "Hardly worth while. It would mean nothing at all to either of us. Still--I'm not a poacher." "You don't seem to me to be able to take a joke either." Harry's voice sounded annoyed. "But we won't quarrel. I've been through one of my fits of the blues, Doris. Don't be hard on a fellow." "It would be so much better for you if people could be hard on you, Harry. Still you'll have to pay for it somehow. We all have to pay for being what we are--somehow. Perhaps you won't know you're paying--you'll call it by some other name; perhaps you won't care. But you'll have to pay somehow." The Nun made a queer figure of a moralist; she was really far too pretty. But her words got home to Harry--the new, the recovered, Harry. "I have paid," he said. "Oh yes, you don't believe it, but I have! The bill's paid, and receipted. I'm starting fair now. But you never did do me justice." "I've always done justice to what you care most about--Harry the Irresistible!" "Oh, stop that rot!" he implored. "I'm serious, you know, Doris." "I know all the symptoms of your seriousness. The first is wanting to flirt with somebody fresh." Harry's laugh was vexed--but not of bitter vexation. "Give a fellow a chance!" "The whole world's in league to do it--again and again!" "This time the world is going to find me appreciative. You don't know what a splendid girl Vivien is! If you did, you'd understand how--how--well, how things look different." The Nun relented. "I really think it may last you over the wedding--and perhaps the honeymoon," she said.