"Don't act like a baby. How do I insult you?"
"Talking about boarding-houses. Do you think Janet and all of them didn't notice it?"
"Well," he said. "Let this be a lesson to you."
She hid her face in her hands and sobbed, moving towards the door.
He thought:
"She's beaten. She knows she's got to take it."
Then he said:
"Do I go altering furniture without consulting you? Do I do things behind your back? Never!"
"That's no reason why you should try to make me look a fool in my own house. I told Ada how I wanted the furniture, and George and I helped her. And then a moment afterwards you give them contrary orders. What will they think of me? Naturally they'll think I'm not your wife, but your slave. You're a brute." Her voice rose.
"I didn't give any orders. I haven't seen the damned servants and I haven't seen George."