"What a horrible story!" he said, with emphasis.
Miss Floyd nodded.
"Yes, poor Madeleine has never got over it."
The young man still stood riveted.
"Of course Mrs. Verrier herself had nothing to do with the talk about divorce?"
Something in his tone roused a combative instinct in his companion. She, too, coloured, and drew herself up.
"Why shouldn't she? She was miserable. The marriage had been a great mistake."
"And you allow divorce for that?" said the man, wondering. "Oh, of course I know every State is different, and some States are worse than others. But, somehow, I never came across a case like that—first hand—before."
He walked on slowly beside his companion, who held herself a little stiffly.
"I don't know why you should talk in that way," she said at last, breaking out in a kind of resentment, "as though all our American views are wrong! Each nation arranges these things for itself. You have the laws that suit you; you must allow us those that suit us."