“I allowed myself to tell you that you might find encouragement in my foolishly spoken words. I am deeply sorry that I should have so forgotten what was due to my own self-respect and to your sincerity.

“If I have permitted myself to convey to you the impression that I would ever be willing to be your wife, let me hasten to correct it. Whatever I said to you this evening, I must answer now⁠—as I should have answered then⁠—truthfully and unhesitatingly, no.

“This, I insist, must be the last word between us upon this unfortunate subject, if we are to continue, as I hope, very good friends.

“