"So little? It's with everything--with everything I have." "I've done it, you say? What do you accuse me of doing?" Her tears were already over. "Of making me yours; of being so precious, Julia, so exactly what a man wants, as it seems to me. I didn't know you could," he went on, smiling down at her. "I didn't--no, I didn't." "It's what I say--that you've always hated me." "I'll make it up to you!" he laughed. She leaned on the doorway with her forehead against the lintel. "You don't even deny it." "Contradict you _now_? I'll admit it, though it's rubbish, on purpose to live it down." "It doesn't matter," she said slowly; "for however much you might have liked me you'd never have done so half as much as I've cared for you." "Oh I'm so poor!" Nick murmured cheerfully. With her eyes looking at him as in a new light she slowly shook her head. Then she declared: "You never can live it down." "I like that! Haven't I asked you to marry me? When did you ever ask me?" "Every day of my life! As I say, it's hard--for a proud woman." "Yes, you're too proud even to answer me." "We must think of it, we must talk of it." "Think of it? I've thought of it ever so much." "I mean together. There are many things in such a question." "The principal thing is beautifully to give me your word." She looked at him afresh all strangely; then she threw off: "I wish I didn't adore you!" She went straight down the steps. "You don't adore me at all, you know, if you leave me now. Why do you go? It's so charming here and we're so delightfully alone." "Untie the boat; we'll go on the water," Julia said. Nick was at the top of the steps, looking down at her. "Ah stay a little--_do_ stay!" he pleaded. "I'll get in myself, I'll pull off," she simply answered. At this he came down and bent a little to undo the rope. He was close to her and as he raised his head he felt it caught; she had seized it in her hands and she pressed her lips, as he had never felt lips pressed, to the first place they encountered. The next instant she was in the boat.