"Yet are you not capricious，sir?"

"To women who please me only by their faces，I am the very devil when I find out they have neither souls nor hearts- when they open to me a perspective of flatness，triviality，and perhaps imbecility，coarseness，and ill-temper: but to the clear eye and eloquent tongue，to the soul made of fire，and the character that bends but does not break- at once supple and stable，tractable and consistent- I am ever tender and true."

"Had you ever experience of such a character，sir? Did you ever love such an one?"

"I love it now."

"But before me: if I，indeed，in any respect e up to your difficult standard?"

"I never met your likeness. Jane，you please me，and you master me- you seem to submit，and I like the sense of pliancy you impart; and while I am twining the soft，silken skein round my finger，it sends a thrill up my arm to my heart. I am influenced- conquered; and the influence is sweeter than I can express; and the conquest I undergo has a witchery beyond any triumph I can win. Why do you smile，Jane?

What does that inexplicable，that uncanny turn of countenance mean?"

"I was thinking，sir (you will excuse the idea; it was involuntary)，I was thinking of Hercules and Samson with their charmers-"

"You were，you little elfish-"

"Hush，sir! You don"t talk very wisely just now; any more than those gentlemen acted very wisely. However，had they been married，they would no doubt by their severity as husbands have made up for their softness as suitors; and so will you，I fear. I wonder how you will answer me a year hence，should I ask a favour it does not suit your convenience or pleasure to grant."

"Ask me something now，Janet- the least thing: I desire to be entreated-"