"She was more practical. She married him to a rich widow ten years older
than he was. That provided for him, you see, at least. But it turned out
worse than the other case."

"How?"

"Why, he fell in love with this other woman--"

"His wife, you mean?"

"Yes. Imagine it! Men are so fickle."

"Do you know that you really shock me?"

"It's better to appreciate the way things are."

"It isn't the way things are among decent normal human beings."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I imagine it is," she said, "only
they're not honest enough to admit it."

He continued to stare at her and, strangely enough, she had never seemed
to him more beautiful.

"And do you mean to tell me," he said, "that people who have the
standards that you describe will attach the slightest importance to an
innocent little adventure like this of ours?"

"Of course. They are the very people who will."