Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 2 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/78

 "On the contrary, I'm in an almost indecent hurry."

"One would never guess it. Do you expect a lady to come and propose to you?"

"No; I'm willing to put the case before her myself. I think a great deal about it."

"Tell me some of your thoughts."

"Well," said Newman slowly, "I want to marry about as well as you can."

"'Well' in what sense?"

"In every sense. I shall be hard to suit."

"You must remember that, as the French proverb puts it, the finest girl in the world can give but what she has."

"Since you ask me," said Newman, let me be frank about it—I want quite awfully to marry. It's time, to begin with; before I know it I shall be forty-five. And then I'm lonely, and I really kind of pine for a mate. There are things for which I want help. But if I marry now, so long as I did n't do it in hot haste when I was twenty, I must do it, you see, with my eyes open. I want to set about it rather grandly. I not only want to make no mistakes, but I want to make a great hit. I want to take my pick. My wife must be a pure pearl. I've thought an immense deal about it."

"Perhaps you think too much. The best thing's simply to fall in love."

"When I find the woman who satisfies me I shall rise to the occasion. My wife shall be as satisfied as I shall."

"You begin grandly enough," said Mrs. Tristram. "There's a chance for the pure pearls!" 48