How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Certainly he did not think of proposing marriage. He wanted—like most poor and ardent young men in such a case, he wanted all he could get. (5.3.1)
When Martin starts dating Madeline Fox, he's really after sex more than anything else. He's a young dude who just started medical school, and he's not interested in settling down right away.
Quote #2
"Yuh, you'll probably marry her. She's a dead shot. She can hit a smart young M.D. at ninety paces." (5.4.2)
Clif Clawson tells it like he sees it. He thinks that Madeline Fox is definitely out to marry a doctor no matter who she ends up with. Martin doesn't like hearing this so much, but part of him knows that Clif is right.
Quote #3
Clif's opposition stirred him to consider Madeline not merely with a sly and avaricious interest but with a dramatic conviction that he longed to marry her. (5.4.7)
Clif is so skeptical of Martin's relationship with Madeline that Martin decides to marry her out of spite, just to show Clif how wrong he is. It's a totally petty reaction, but hey, Martin's in his early twenties and he's not going to let some jerk tell him what he will and won't do.