"Never mind the force—you admit the desire. Very well, I married you, why? 'Pon my soul I couldn't tell you—that's the truth. Because I wanted a wife, I imagine, or thought I did, in the new circumstances in which I found myself. Grant then that our motives tie—they are equally unworthy of each of us—I have been a good husband to you. Have you been anything of a wife to me—I ask you, Hilda, from the day we married, have you given me a thought?"
"I'm not good at sentiment—I don't understand it. I never did."
"I am well aware of that. I begin to think you understand nothing but the promptings of your own badly drilled—excuse my swearing—your damned badly drilled mind."
"I had rather you swore than sat there preaching at me. For goodness sake say what you've got to say, and have done with it."
"As you will. Then I have this to say. You are my wife—that's a deplorable, unalterable fact. You will respect my name by keeping your own out of the mud; therefore in future you will be careful to refrain from these little amateur felonies of yours, as well as from risking prosecution for slander, which you certainly will do if you allow your tongue free rein. For the rest, if you are sensible, you'll keep up appearances before the world."
"It's difficult to keep up appearances when one is thrown into contact with adventuresses of that woman's class. God knows where she came from—the slums I believe. Ask Julia about her—ask her to tell you what she told me."
"Surely you can tell me yourself, without my further imperilling Julia's lot in the next world."
She stamped her foot with impatience. She had never known him quite in this mood before. She wished he would get thoroughly angry, like he had been when he came in.
"You will be shocked at the downfall of your immaculate angel. However, if you want to know I will tell you. She was in the habit of making assignations with some low man who came down from London and used to meet her about Thorpe—once they were caught actually in the churchyard late at night—some man named Jabez! What do you think of that?"
"Very natural under the circumstances!"