I assume you are man
enough to fulfill it."
He felt quite at home with her now. "And you?" rasped he. "What
responsibility did YOU undertake?"
She caught her breath, flamed scarlet.
"Now let us hear what wife means in the dictionary of a lady.
Come, let's hear it!"
She was silent.
"I'm not criticising," he went on; "I'm simply inquiring. What do
you think it means to be a wife?"
Still she could think of no answer.
"It must mean something," urged he. "Tell me. I've got to learn
some time, haven't I?"
"I think," said she, with a tranquil haughtiness which she hoped
would carry off the weakness of the only reply she could get
together on such short notice, "among our sort of people the wife
is expected to attend to the social part of the life."
He waited for more--waited with an expression that suggested
thirst. But no more came. "Is that all?" he inquired, and waited
again--in vain. "Yes? ...Well, tell me, where in thunder does the
husband come in? He puts up the cash for the wife to spend in
dressing and amusing herself--is that all?"
"It is generally assumed," said she, since she had to say
something or let the case go against her by default, "that the
social side of life can be very useful in furthering a man.
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