"I  prefer  to  put  it  down,  that  part  of  it,  to  a  fundamental
difference  of  ideas.  I  do  not  feel  qualified  to  sit  in  judgment
on  that  part  of  your  life,  although  I'll  admit  that  many  of
the  things  you  have  done,  in  common  with  the  men  with
whom  you  are  associated,  have  seemed  to  me  unjust  and
inconsiderate  of  the  rights  and  feelings  of  others.  You  have
alienated  some  of  your  best  friends.  If  I  were  to  arraign
you  at  all,  it  would  be  on  the  score  of  heartlessness.  But
I  suppose  it  isn't  your  fault,  that  you  haven't  any  heart."

"That's  unfair,"  I  put  in.
"I  don't  wish  to  be  unfair,"  she  replied.  "Only,  since
you  ask  me,  I  have  to  tell  you  that  that  is  the  way  it  seems
to  me.  I  don't  want  to  introduce  the  question  of  right  and
wrong  into  this,  Hugh,  I'm  not  capable  of  unravelling  it;
I  can't  put  myself  into  your  life,  and  see  things  from  your
point  of  view,  weigh  your  problems  and  difficulties.  In
the  first  place,  you  won't  let  me.  I  think  I  understand
you,  partly  —  but  only  partly.  You  have  kept  yourself
shut  up.     But  why  discuss  it  ?    I  have  made  up  my  mind."

The  legal  aspect  of  the  matter  occurred  to  me.  What
right  had  she  to  leave  me?  I  might  refuse  to  support  her.
Yet  even  as  these  thoughts  came  I  rejected  them;  I  knew
that  it  was  not  in  me  to  press  this  point.  And  she  could
always  take  refuge  with  her  father;  without  the  children,
of  course.  But  the  very  notion  sickened  me.  I  could  not
bear  to  think  of  Maude  deprived  of  the  children.  I  had
seated  myself  again  at  the  table.  I  put  my  hand  to  my
forehead.
