Selfish people are in a way terribly capable of great loves.

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AMORY: I feel as if I’d known you for ages. ROSALIND: Oh, are you going to commence the “pyramid” story? AMORY: No— I was going to make it French. I was Louis XIV and you were one of my— my— (Changing his tone.) Suppose— we fell in love. ROSALIND: I’ve suggested pretending. AMORY: If we did it would be very big. ROSALIND: Why? AMORY: Because selfish people are in a way terribly capable of great loves. ROSALIND: (Turning her lips up) Pretend. (Very deliberately they kiss.) AMORY: I can’t say sweet things. But you are beautiful. ROSALIND: Not that. AMORY: What then? ROSALIND: (Sadly) Oh, nothing— only I want sentiment, real sentiment— and I never find it. AMORY: I never find anything else in the world— and I loathe it. ROSALIND: It’s so hard to find a male to gratify one’s artistic taste. (Some one has opened a door and the music of a waltz surges into the room. ROSALIND rises.) ROSALIND: Listen! they’re playing “Kiss Me Again.” Fitzgerald, F. Scott (2016-02-18). This Side of Paradise (Wisehouse Classics Edition) (p. 123). Wisehouse. Kindle Edition.

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