even with a woman, is there? Little Mrs. Osborn and you lay your heads
together, and she puts on her wedding frock--"

Julia eyed him with a steely disdain.

"Kindly tell me why a woman should trouble herself to make plans to
coax her husband?"

"Ask me another. How do I know? She _did_ it, didn't she?"

"Yes, because he was one of those beastly 'hims,' to be toadied and
cajoled and fussed into a good humour before his wife dare ask for a
carriage for the baby that belongs to both of them."

"Oh, I see! I see! I say, I'm stupid, aren't I?"

"I'll forgive you your stupidity if you promise me never to marry and
make any woman miserable."

Rokeby became slightly nettled.

"Why shouldn't I marry and make some woman happy?" he demanded.

"Ask _me_ another; you men don't seem to, do you?"

"You're not very sympathetic to--"

"Nor you. Look here! Bread and butter, and candles and bootblacking,
and laundering, and expenses for a baby when you've got one, are all
everyday things, aren't they? If a woman's got to fuss and plan and