"
"I believe the time for the other life will come quite naturally
later," said Maud. "At your age, you have got to do things. Of
course it's the same with women in a way, but marriage is their
obvious career, and the pity is that there don't seem enough
husbands to go round. I can sit in my corner and placidly survey
the overstocked market now!"
Howard got up and leaned against the chimneypiece, surveying his
wife with delight. "Ah, child," he said, "I was lucky to come in
when I did. I shiver at the thought that if I had arrived a little
later there would have been 'no talk of thee and me' as Omar says.
You would have been a devoted wife, and I should have been a
hopeless bachelor!"
"It's unthinkable," said Maud, "it's horrible even to speculate
about such things--a mere question of proximity! Well, it can't be
mended now; and the result is that I not only drive you back to
work, but you have to carry me back as well, like Sindbad and the
old man of the sea."
"Yes, it's just like that!" said Howard.
He made several attempts, with Mr. Sandys and with his aunt--even
with Miss Merry--to get encouragement for his plan; but he could
obtain no sympathy.
"I'm sick of the very word 'ideal,'" he said to Maud. "I feel like
a waiter handing about tumblers on a tray, pressing people to have
ideals--at least that is what I seem to be supposed to be doing. I
haven't any ideals myself--the only thing I demand and practise is
civility.
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