Hamilton took a deep breath, let it out, then said, Listen to me. I don't know much about women, and sometimes it seems like I didn't know anything about them. But I'm sure of this—she won't let a little thing like you taking a pot shot at her stand in the way if you ever had any chance with her at all. She'll forgive you.
You don't really mean that, do you? Monroe-Alpha's face was still tragic, but he clutched at the hope.
Certainly I do. Women will forgive anything. With a flash of insight he added, Otherwise the race would have died out long ago.

Chapter 10, —the only game in town (pp. 108-109) - Beyond This Horizon (1948; originally serialized in 1942)