She looked about her with a faint shiver. "I am afraid of
everything!" she said.

"That's because you are alone; because you've no one to turn to.
I'll clear the air for you fast enough if you'll let me."

He looked forth defiantly, as if flinging his challenge at the great
city which had come to typify the powers contending with him for her
possession.

"You say that so easily! But you don't know; none of you know."

"Know what?"

"The difficulties--"

"I told you I was ready to take my share of the difficulties--and my
share naturally includes yours. You know Americans are great hands
at getting over difficulties." He drew himself up confidently. "Just
leave that to me--only tell me exactly what you're afraid of."

She paused again, and then said: "The divorce, to begin with--they
will never consent to it."

He noticed that she spoke as though the interests of the whole clan,
rather than her husband's individual claim, were to be considered;
and the use of the plural pronoun shocked his free individualism
like a glimpse of some dark feudal survival.