Sinclair Lewis

“ She sprang up, beseeching, "Jeff dear, you're going to stay for tea? I must run up and powder my nose."
⁠"Not until you say you're glad to see me. Child dear, we've been ambling along and---- No. You aren't a child any more. You're a woman. And if I've never been quite a man, but just a dusty office-machine, that's gone now. I've got the wind of the wilderness in my lungs. Man and woman! My woman! That's all I'm going to say now, but---- Oh my God, Claire, I do need you so!" ”

“ A real woman, or one of these flirts, that love to tease a man because he's foolish enough to be honestly in love?"
⁠"I'm not--hon-estly I'm not, Jeff. It's---- You don't quite make me---- It's just that I'm not in love with you. ”

“ But still---- Life with Jeff would be protected, kindly, honorable.
⁠Yet all the time she wanted, and stormily knew she wanted, to be fleeing to the boy Milt, her mate; to run away with him, hand in hand, discovering all the colored world, laughing at life, not afraid of losing dignity. In fear of Jeff's very kindliness and honor, she jerked her hand free. ”