Matthew. Strike on principle, then.
[He still looks fixedly at the floor, and Joe stands glaring at him.]
Joe. How?
Matthew. Like the Almighty strikes when He've got a lesson for we to learn, which we won't learn without strikes and tears. Nothin' is of no avail to stop His chastisement if He do think it's goin' to work out His plan for He and we, and that's what I'm wanting of you to do by your wife for her sake more than for yours. Wives must learn to submit. [Harshly.] It's Divine Providence as 'ave ordered it, and women be miserable, like ivy and trailers of all sorts, if they've no prop to bear 'em up. Beat her once and it'll make a man of you and be a life-long warnin' to she.
Joe. But I love her, man! [Softly.] The very thought of hurting her makes me creep.
[Joe shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head repeatedly.]
Mathew. Women likes bein' hurt. It's a real fondlin' to 'em at times.
[Joe sits down and folds his arms as he looks humbly at Matthew.]
Joe. Lor', I never heard that afore. How can you be sure of that at all?
Mathew. I've traveled, as you do knaw. I ain't been to Africa for nothin', mate. I've seen a deal o' things, which if I'd happened on afore I courted Jane Ann would have got me through the marriage scrimmage wi' no tiles off of my roof. That's why I'm a warnin' of you afore it's too late. Your woman be worth gettin' i' trim—[with a sigh]—for she's—well—she's—