“Why, shamefully! What did you say about your wedded happiness? Why, nothing. What did you say about your wife? Worse than nothing: just as if she were a bargain you were sorry for, but were obliged to make the best of. What do you say?
“And bad’s the best?
“If you say that again, Caudle, I’ll rise from my bed.
“You didn’t say it?
“What, then, did you say? Something very like it, I know. Yes, a pretty speech of thanks for a husband! And everybody could see that you didn’t care a pin for me; and that’s why you had ’em here: that’s why you invited ’em, to insult me to their faces. What?
“I made you invite ’em?
“Oh, Caudle, what an aggravating man you are!
“I suppose you’ll say next I made you invite Miss Prettyman? Oh yes; don’t tell me that her brother brought her without you knowing it. What?
“Didn’t I hear him say so?
“Of course I did; but do you suppose I’m quite a fool? Do you think I don’t know that that was all settled between you? And she must be a nice person to come unasked to a woman’s house? But I know why she came. Oh yes; she came to look about her.