OfcourseIknewwhattheywerereferringto,butIwasn’tevenvaguelyengaged.ThefactthatgossiphadpublishedthebannswasoneofthereasonsIhadcomeEast.Youcan’tstopgoingwithanoldfriendonaccountofrumours,andontheotherhandIhadnointentionofbeingrumouredintomarriage.Theirinterestrathertouchedmeandmadethemlessremotelyrich—nevertheless,IwasconfusedandalittledisgustedasIdroveaway.ItseemedtomethatthethingforDaisytodowastorushoutofthehouse,childinarms—butapparentlytherewerenosuchintentionsinherhead.AsforTom,thefactthathe“hadsomewomaninNewYork”wasreallylesssurprisingthanthathehadbeendepressedbyabook.Somethingwasmakinghimnibbleattheedgeofstaleideasasifhissturdyphysicalegotismnolongernourishedhisperemptoryheart.