"She is indifferent to the gentleman in the Cape Town penal settlement?"
"Altogether, I don't think she ever really cared for him. To tell the truth, she only wanted some one to take her away from—me."
"And now she trusts you again?"
"Oh dear, yes;—completely. She is my wife, you know, still."
"I suppose so."
"That sacred tie has never been severed. You must always remember that. I don't know what your feelings are on such a subject, but according to my views it should not be severed roughly. When there are children, that should always be borne in mind. Don't you think so?"
"The children should be borne in mind."
"Just so. That's what I mean. Who can look after a family of young children so well as their young mother? Men have various ways of looking at the matter." To this John Gordon gave his ready consent, and was anxious to hear in what way his assistance was to be asked in again putting Mr and Mrs Tookey, with their young children, respectably on their feet. "There are men, you know, stand-off sort of fellows, who think that a woman should never be forgiven."
"It must depend on how far the husband has been in fault."
"Exactly. Now these stand-off sort of fellows will never admit that they have been in fault at all. That's not my case."