I wanted to think I was — ^the next to foUow, I was not.] But
you saw that fear was biting me all the time. And if she
loved him. Oh ! Yes. So much more admirable, and aU
the world would admire her. A noble satisfaction. I, too,
should admire her on bended knees if she were the wife of
another man. But she's nrnie. I am not the judge of my
wife, I am a party to the dispute ; I cannot judge. I am the
owner. I ought to admire her because, when she might have
cheated me of the whole, she has cheated me of a part only.
... I look at what she has taken away, not what remains.
E 2



52 PLAYS AND PLAYERS IN MODERN ITALY

Ma. Pah ! You are mad.
Pa. But don't see that I am hateful to her ?

Ma. Good God !

Pa. Hateful ! You weren't here a moment ago. [He has
a shade of justification here, however.] Perhaps you'll deny
that she can't bear my presence without you.
Ma. To-day, perhaps, because she knows that you
have read ... I told you myself. It's embarrassing for
her.
Pa. It's not to-day only. You never go away from her,
never at all. In fifteen years that you've been a country
mouse, you haven't been a week away. And a fortnight ago
you took a sudden fancy to make a tour of the world. She
begged you to ..
Ma. I swear to you . ..
