"But then, many curious things are true of our species," he
continued, with his eyes on the fire and in the manner of a
soliloquy, "that never occur elsewhere. A man, for instance, is the
only animal that will settle comfortably down for the rest of its
days to live on the exertions of the female."

"It shows how a woman likes to be depended on," said Gabriella,
with her deep womanliness.

"Tom-cats of the fireside," said David, "who are proud of what fat
mice their wives feed them on. It may show what you say in the
nature of the woman. But what does it show in the nature of the
man?"

"That depends."

"I don't think it depends," replied David. "I think it is either
one of the results of Christianity or a survival of barbarism. As
one of the results of Christianity, it demonstrates what women will
endure when they are imposed upon. As a relic of barbarism--when it
happens in our country--why not regard it as derived from the North
American Indians? The chiefs lounged around the house and smoked
the best tobacco and sent the squaws out to work for them.
Occasionally they broke silence by briefly declaring that they
thought themselves immortal."

Gabriella tried to draw the conversation into other channels, but
David was not to be diverted.