text:  He was only fourteen to be sure when the acquaintance began and the girl nine or ten; so that when he was twenty-one he could not recall by what means or on what occasion he had told Alice he was devoted to her; nor could he even recollect what method she had taken to tell him she was delighted to hear it; but the case was nevertheless as complete a case of engagement and true love as if he had made formal propositions on his knees or signed a bond on parchment