“Oh, that’s different. I don’t care at all, in the same way. I know what’s good for them, or I try to, and then I just contrive to manage them for their own good. It’s not like anybody as you’re really fond of. It’s quite different. Once you’ve been really fond of a man, you can be affectionate to almost any man, if he needs you at all. But it’s not the same thing. You don’t really care . I doubt, once you’ve really cared, if you can ever really care again.”

These words frightened Connie.

“Do you think one can only care once?” she asked.

“Or never. Most women never care, never begin to. They don’t know what it means. Nor men either. But when I see a woman as cares, my heart stands still for her.”

“And do you think men easily take offence?”

“Yes! If you wound them on their pride. But aren’t women the same? Only our two prides are a bit different.”