"
"And why shouldn't I?" The question came near to summing up the problem
of her own meditations, and his opposition--with its carefully
maintained impersonal quality--piqued her and made the smoldering
consideration of marrying Giovanni suddenly flame into a definite
intention.
"Well?" she repeated.
"Because I think American men make the best husbands."
Nina was brutal. "You say that because you are an American yourself!"
He let the injustice of her remark pass unnoticed. "I merely repeat," he
said calmly, "that, married to the Marchese di Valdo, you would be a
very unhappy woman. That is my straight opinion. If you don't like it,
I can't help it."
"Why should I be unhappy?"
"Don't let's discuss it."
"That is just like an American. Do you wonder women care for Europeans?
A man over here would sit down sensibly and tell you every sort of
reason."
"Yes, and one sort of reason as well as another. For, or against,
whichever way the wind might happen to be blowing!"
In spite of herself, Nina was disagreeably conscious of the truth of his
judgment. But she shut her mind to it, as she exclaimed, "And you say
you don't dislike Italian men!"
"No, I don't! You are altogether wrong. I have been over here often
enough to admire them tremendously, in a great many ways.
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