Anne Constance Smedley

“ I couldn't bear for Cosmo to look at another woman—even look at her!"
"Don't be silly!" said Wisdom. "If you love a handsome man, you must face the fact that women will look at him, and it's only courteous—not to say human—to look back!"
"Oh, well, I'll face it!" said Anne. "If our happiness can't last—and perhaps it isn't very likely that it will—I think it's worth while having it. After all, I've a commonsensible nature, and when Cosmo gets tired of kneeling, he can rise up, and we will each go our separate ways." ”

“ There's the bare chance that he may remain in love with you, and you only."
"Too risky," said Anne, "my nature's so uncertain; it needs a truly strong man to keep on liking me. You see, he would have to keep liking me in spite of myself, and if he had to do it in spite of himself as well, I would not take odds on his success."
"And even if Cosmo did remain faithful," said Wisdom, reflectively, " he would feel he deserved a pedestal. For what is simple duty in an ordinary man becomes a shining virtue in a fascinating actor." ”

“ But whatever a man was, he couldn't make me so used to the idea of wickedness that I could find comforting oblivion in it. That way of misery is shut off from me with an iron gate of natural instinct. ”