“And now, Feeder,” said Mr Toots, “I should be glad to know what you think of my union.”
“Capital!” returned Mr Feeder.
“You think it’s capital, do you, Feeder?” said Mr Toots solemnly. “Then how capital must it be to Me! For you can never know what an extraordinary woman that is.”
Mr Feeder was willing to take it for granted. But Mr Toots shook his head, and wouldn’t hear of that being possible.
“You see,” said Mr Toots, “what I wanted in a wife was—in short, was sense. Money, Feeder, I had. Sense I—I had not, particularly.”
Mr Feeder murmured, “Oh, yes, you had, Toots!” But Mr Toots said:
“No, Feeder, I had not. Why should I disguise it? I had not. I knew that sense was There,” said Mr Toots, stretching out his hand towards his wife, “in perfect heaps. I had no relation to object or be offended, on the score of station; for I had no relation. I have never had anybody belonging to me but my guardian, and him, Feeder, I have always considered as a Pirate and a Corsair. Therefore, you know it was not likely,” said Mr Toots, “that I should take his opinion.”
“No,” said Mr Feeder.
“Accordingly,” resumed Mr Toots, “I acted on my own. Bright was the day on which I did so! Feeder! Nobody but myself can tell what the capacity of that woman’s mind is. If ever the Rights of Women, and all that kind of thing, are properly attended to, it will be through her powerful intellect—Susan, my dear!” said Mr Toots, looking abruptly out of the windows “pray do not exert yourself!”
“My dear,” said Mrs Toots, “I was only talking.”