"And we can't think what reason there is for you to offer _us_ marriage, unless you do it for position or something like that," retorted Katharine, and then bit her lip and stopped short, as she realised what she had said. In the embarrassing pause that followed, Marion came back into the room. "Well, you two don't look as though you'd had much conversation," she remarked. "We haven't," said Katharine, getting up to leave. "Mr. Wilton's conversation, you see, is all bespoken already." "Miss Austen is a little hard on me," said Paul. "I have had so little practice in conversation with brilliant and learned young lecturers, that--" "That I will leave you to a less dismal companion," interrupted Katharine, a little abruptly. "Will you allow me to suggest," he went on, as he held her hand for a moment, "that you should try and think more kindly of the particular friend who was so unpleasantly frank to you?" "If I thought that the friend in question were likely to be affected by my opinion of him, perhaps I might," she said, as she turned away. When she had gone, Marion asked him what he had meant. "Merely a passing reflection on something she had been telling me," was his reply. "Oh," said Marion, "did she tell you about her love affair?" "My dear girl, Miss Austen is not likely to favour me with these interesting disclosures, is she? I didn't know she had a love affair, as you rather frankly express it." "She isn't a bit the sort, is she? I only found it out this afternoon; he's an awful beast, I should think,--led her on, and treated her villainously, poor old Kitty! Isn't it a shame?" "Did she tell you all that?" "Don't look so surprised! Of course she did; at least, I guessed, because she looked so miserable. I always know; I've had so much experience, you see. But it's much worse for Kitty, don't you know, because she takes things so seriously. It's a mistake, isn't it? I would give a good lot to meet the man who has ill treated her, though!" "Yes? What would you do to him?" "I would tell him he was a horrid little bounder, and that Kitty was well rid of him." "In which case there is no occasion to pity her, is there?" "Oh, how unsympathetic you are! Of course it's just as bad, whatever the man is like. It's always the saints like Kitty who break their hearts for the most worthless men. I'm not made like that; I should soon console myself with some one else, and make the first one mad. But then, I'm not clever." "Your cousin is a most interesting psychological study," said Paul vaguely. "What do you mean? She is a very nice girl indeed," cried Marion indignantly; and Paul silently condemned the whole sex, without reservation.