“I must, because he is a man. But my reason for doing this is to convince you that it is the thing to be expected. Unless you learn that lesson early in your married life, my dear, you will be miserably unhappy. I am certain that the old Persian proverb, ‘Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he shall not be disappointed,’ was written by a woman—and a married woman at that.”
Helen’s duties at the tea-table aided her to preserve her composure, but the contessa’s matter-of-fact expressions were not reassuring in the present crisis she was passing through. She felt herself in no position to combat her theories, yet not to do so seemed a tacit admission of all which she strove to conceal.
“I could not live with a man such as you describe,” she said, quietly.
“Oh yes, you could!” The contessa laughed at Helen’s innocence and inexperience. “That is the way we all feel when we are first married; but we soon get over it—unless there is another woman in the case; then it is different.”
“What do we do in that case?” asked Helen, looking up at her guest with a smile. “You may as well prepare me for any emergency.”
“In that case,” the contessa replied, seriously, resting her elbow upon the little table and returning Helen’s glance—“in that case we try to arouse our husband’s jealousy; but we must do it discreetly, as they are not so long-suffering as we.”
“Why not leave one’s husband?”
“You dear, simple little bride!” cried the contessa, indulgently—“and let him have a clear field? What an original idea! But how our conversation has run on!” The contessa rose and held out her hand graciously. “I really must be going now; but I wish you and Mr. Armstrong would take tea with me—say day after to-morrow. I want to see this exceptional husband of yours, and if my dear Morelli is not too impossible I will show him off to you.”
“I doubt if Mr. Armstrong will feel that he can spare the time away from his book—” began Helen.
“In that case, then, come alone. Perhaps we can have all the better visit by ourselves. I shall expect you. Good-bye!”