Pauline, the American girl mentioned in the previous extract, seems fated to play the supporting female romantic role in Florence Barclay’s 1910 novel, The Rosary. But I was startled by a phrase in this passage from Chapter X of the book, where she reflects on how she will never marry Garth “Dal” Dalmain, the male lead:

But after her maid had left her, Pauline switched off the electric light and, drawing back the curtain, stood for a long while at her window, looking out at the peaceful English scene bathed in moonlight. At last she murmured softly, leaning her beautiful head against the window frame:

“I stated your case well, but you didn’t quite deserve it, Dal. You ought to have let me know about Jane, weeks ago. Anyway, it will stop the talk about you and me. And as for you, dear, you will go on sighing for the moon; and when you find the moon is unattainable, you will not dream of seeking solace in more earthly lights—not even poppa’s best sperm,” she added, with a wistful little smile, for Pauline’s fun sparkled in solitude as freely as in company, and as often at her own expense as at that of other people, and her brave American spirit would not admit, even to herself, a serious hurt.

Not even whose best what???!!!???

(And do you find it gives you a wistful little smile like Pauline’s????)