"I gave Hilda credit for more sense—and who told her, pray?"
"Her husband. He had it from Miriam herself. Funny part of it is she never told me."
"Bah—lies, lies—all lies. The woman's a thorough bad lot, Gerald, and you did the wisest day's work you ever did when you left her. The man was her lover I tell you—a part of her former slum life. Don't you tell me. Left her? I should think you did leave her!"
"Well, then, Julia, let's be content with that. You've thoroughly upheld my action—very thoroughly I must say, which is of course quite right."
"Oh, you men, what fools you are! At all events I did give you credit for some taste—"
"Yes, I'm generally considered a man of taste. Hitherto I've not had much money to indulge it; but that's not my fault."
"Carroty hair and freckles, and a figure bobbing out where it should go in, and sinking into a great hole where it should bob out, and feet! Well——"
"Oh, come, that'll do, Julia—that'll do. I ought to be well posted in my wife's points by this time. I've left her I tell you for good and all, and she's got her own income, and——"
"Got—her—own—income! What in the name of common-sense do you mean, boy?"
It was so naïve of Julia to invoke common-sense.