Then Lady Milborough could not clearly bring to her mind what it was that she had to remember.
"The fact is, my dear, that all this kind of thing is too monstrous to be thought of. Goodness, gracious, me; two young people like you and Louis, who thoroughly love each other, and who have got a baby, to think of being separated! Of course it is out of the question."
"You cannot suppose, Lady Milborough, that I want to be separated from my husband?"
"Of course not. How should it be possible? The very idea is too shocking to be thought of. I declare I haven't slept since Louis was talking to me about it. But, my dear, you must remember, you know, that a husband has a right to expect some—some—some—a sort of—submission from his wife."
"He has a right to expect obedience, Lady Milborough."
"Of course; that is all one wants."
"And I will obey Mr. Trevelyan—in anything reasonable."
"But, my dear, who is to say what is reasonable? That, you see, is always the difficulty. You must allow that your husband is the person who ought to decide that."
"Has he told you that I have refused to obey him, Lady Milborough?"
The Countess paused a moment before she replied. "Well, yes; I think he has," she said. "He asked you to do something about a letter,—a letter to that Colonel Osborne, who is a man, my dear, really to be very much afraid of; a man who has done a great deal of harm,—and you declined. Now in a matter of that kind of course the husband—"