Just a liking. He's just a friend."
"Exactly. Or in marrying the other, whom she loves ex----"
"That's not it. How can she marry him? He hasn't--he hasn't
asked her, you see."
"True. I forgot. Let us assume, though, for the moment, that he
has asked her. She would then have to consider which marriage
would probably be productive of the greater sum total of----"
"Oh, but you needn't consider that."
"But it seems the best logical order. We can afterward make
allowance for the element of uncertainty caused by----"
"Oh, no! I don't want it like that. I know perfectly well which
she'd do if he--the other man, you know--asked her."
"You apprehend that----"
"Never mind what I `apprehend.' Take it just as I told you."
"Very good. A has asked her hand, B has not."
"Yes."
"May I take it that, but for the disturbing influence of B, A
would be a satisfactory--er--candidate?"
"Ye--es. I think so."
"She, therefore, enjoys a certainty of considerable happiness if
she marries A?"
"Ye--es. Not perfect, because of--B, you know."
"Quite so, quite so; but still a fair amount of happiness. Is it
not so?"
"I don't--well, perhaps."
"On the other hand, if B did ask her, we are to postulate a
higher degree of happiness for her?"
"Yes, please, Mr. Jerningham--much higher."
"For both of them?"
"For her. Never mind him."
"Very well. That again simplifies the problem.
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