'Don't you see?' said Wych Hazel. 'Here are six brackets together, for instance, which should be one in a place; and I am puzzled in what light to hang these pictures;and these books have no place where to be. And if you want needles, Josephine, or a thimbleor a sewing-bird, or any little trifle like notepaper or a clotheshamper, help yourself!'And her sweet laugh rung out, half for nervousness and half for fun.
'How long have you been married?' was the other lady's impetuous question.
'Since some time last year,' said Hazel, dragging up another package.
'Don't be wicked, Hazel! Were you married at Christmas? Kitty
Fisher says so, and I didn't believe it. Were you really?'
'I suppose Dr. Maryland does such things "really," when he does them at all.'
'Yes!' said Josephine, after a moment's pause and with a half groan, 'that's the worst of it. I wish I could know it was a sham. I think marriages ought to be broken, if people want them broken. The law ought to be so.'
Hazel was silent.
'Don't you think, that when people are tired of each other, they ought not to be bound to live together?'
'But you were tired to begin with.'
'No, I wasn't; not so. I thought I could get along with John Charteris. He wasn't a beauty, nor a distinguished speaker, but I thought I could get along with him. Hazel, I hated him before I had been married a week. Men are at your feet till you are tied to them, fast; and thenit's very hard, Hazel!the man is the master, and he likes it.'