He stammered hoarsely: "I don't understand—I can't see what you want us to do."
"Well; to live—apart."
"You can't mean it."
"But I do. How often am I to say, I don't want you? The last part of this year, after the pain was over, I've been as glad to be without you as during the first part of the year you were glad to be without me. Isn't that plain?"
"You're making it horribly plain. And now I'm going to ask you, could I help being poor and short of cash?"
She shook her head. "No! But I couldn't either, and you were awfully down on me."
"'Down' on you! I!"
"You grumbled persistently every day. The kiddies and I just waited upon your moods. And if I had to ask for anything, you weren't kind about it; you just flung out of the place, leaving me all the worries. You never helped nor shared. I've come to this conclusion lately; that it simply isn't worth while living with a person who grumbles persistently and has to be propitiated every day."
He reflected deeply, his hands in his trousers pockets.
"I think I'm taking all this sermon peaceably enough," he barked savagely.