"Why is it," she asked, "that a man is eternally occupied in thinking about the effect he produces on woman--whether or not he knows her--that seems to make no difference at all? Why is it?" He turned redder; she sat curled up, nursing both ankles, and contemplating him with impersonal and searching curiosity. "Tell me," she said; "is there any earthly reason why you and I should be interested in each other--enough, I mean, to make any effort toward civility beyond the bounds of ordinary convention?" He did not answer. "Because," she added, "if there is not, any such effort on your part borders rather closely on the offensive. And I am quite sure you do not intend that." He was indignant now, but utterly incapable of retort. "Is there anything romantic in it because a chance swimmer rests a few moments in somebody's boat?" she asked. "Is that chance swimmer superhuman or inhuman or ultra-human because she is not consciously, and simperingly, preoccupied with the fact that there happens to be a man in her vicinity?" "Good heavens!" he broke out, "do you think I'm that sort of noodle--" "But I _don't_ think about you at all," she interrupted; "there is not a thought that I have which concerns you as an individual. My homily is delivered in the abstract. Can't you--in the abstract--understand _that_?--even if you are a bit doubtful concerning the seven deadly conventions?" He rested on his oars, tingling all over with wrath and surprise. "And now," she said quietly, "I think it time to go. The sun is almost shining, you see, and the beauty of the scene is too obvious for even you to miss." "May I express an opinion before you depart?" "If it is not a very long or very dissenting opinion." "Then it's this: two normal and wholesome people--man and a woman, can _not_ meet, either conventionally or unconventionally, without expressing some atom of interest in one another as individuals. I say two--perfectly--normal--people--" "But it has just happened!" she insisted, preparing to rise. "No, it has not happened." "Really. You speak for yourself of course--" "Yes, I do. I _am_ interested; I'd be stupid if I were not. Besides, I understand conventions as well as you do--" "You don't observe them--" "I don't worship them!" She said coolly: "Women should be ritualists. It is safer." "It is not necessary in this case. I haven't the slightest hope of making this incident a foundation for another; I haven't the least idea that I shall ever see you again. But for me to pretend an imbecile indifference to you or to the situation would be a more absurd example of self-consciousness than even you have charged me with." Wrath and surprise in her turn widened her eyes; he held up his hand: "One moment; I have not finished. May I go on?"