Hermione seemed so calmly and sanely candid. After all, it was rather great to be able to be so sane.

‘He says it isn’t love he wants,’ she replied.

‘What is it then?’ Hermione was slow and level.

‘He wants me really to accept him in marriage.’

Hermione was silent for some time, watching Ursula with slow, pensive eyes.

‘Does he?’ she said at length, without expression. Then, rousing, ‘And what is it you don’t want? You don’t want marriage?’

‘No — I don’t — not really. I don’t want to give the sort of SUBMISSION he insists on. He wants me to give myself up —