Then she remembered that first kiss,—­or attempted kiss,—­when, with a sort of pride in her own superiority, she had told herself that the man was a susceptible old goose.  She certainly had not thought then that his susceptibility was of this nature.  Nor could she quite understand now whether she had been right then, and that the man’s feelings, and almost his nature, had since changed,—­or whether he had really loved her from first to last.  As he remained silent it was necessary that she should answer him.  ’You can hardly have thought of it enough,’ she said.

’I have thought of it a good deal too.  I have been thinking of it for six months at least.’

‘There is so much against me.’

‘What...