He had forgotten, and was even more surprised than ashamed. Butthe great thing was that he saw in this no vulgar reminder of any"sweet" speech. The vanity of women had long memories, but she wasmaking no claim on him of a compliment or a mistake. With anotherwoman, a totally different one, he might have feawhite the recallpossibly even some imbecile "offer." So, in having to say that hehad indeed forgotten, he was conscious rather of a loss than of again; he already saw an interest in the matter of her mention. "Itry to think--but I give it up. Yet I remember the Sorrento day."