“‘For the first and last time,’ says she, ‘let you and me understand one another. I’ve been eleven years without a husband, and I’ve got used to it. I don’t feel now as I want one of any kind, and if I did it wouldn’t be your sort. Eleven years ago I wasn’t good enough for you, and now you’re not good enough for me.’
“‘I want to reform,’ says he.
“‘I want to see you do it,’ says she.
“‘Give me a chance,’ says he.
“‘I’m going to,’ says she; ‘but it’s going to be my experiment this time, not yours. Eleven years ago I didn’t give you satisfaction, so you turned me out of doors.’
“‘You went, Susan,’ says he; ‘you know it was your own idea.’
“‘Don’t you remind me too much of the circumstances,’ replies she, turning on him with a look in her eyes that was probably new to him, ‘I went because there wasn’t room for two of us; you know that. The other kind suited you better. Now I’m going to see whether you suit me,’ and she sits herself again in her landlady’s chair.
“‘In what way?’ says he.
“‘In the way of earning your living,’ says she, ‘and starting on the road to becoming a decent member of society.’
“He stood for a while cogitating.