"Or, if the husband were the better Christian, he would lead his wife."
After due consideration, Paula repeated the monosyllable "if?"
"And, if he showed no disposition to lead his wife, which might be the case for some good reason, she ought to try and attain his standpoint. Then she would evince that perfect sympathy which all the while the husband may be longing for."
"I—I suppose so," replied Paula, always dreading an approach toward forbidden ground.
"If a wife had wronged her husband, even without intention," Natalie went on, after a considerable pause, "that fact would stand in the way of complete sympathy."
"There could be no wrong without intention—that is, no fault."
"But still a wrong; one that the doer might find it harder to forgive than the sufferer. If you were my wife. Paula——"
"Say husband," said Paula, laughing, "and since you find obedience so easy, I order you to prepare to let me drive you to the White House in the pony-phaeton."