He answered reverently: “I may have said that in the past. I shall never say it again. You have taught me better.”

She began to redden, and pretended to examine the windows again. “Of course, there is no question of 'some one else' in this, no 'jilting' or any such nauseous stupidity. I beg your pardon most humbly if my words suggested that there was. I only meant that there was a force in you that I hadn't known of up till now.”

“All right, Cecil, that will do. Don't apologize to me. It was my mistake.”

“It is a question between ideals, yours and mine — pure abstract ideals, and yours are the nobler. I was bound up in the old vicious notions, and all the time you were splendid and new.” His voice broke.