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left the room； returned； and once more filled his glass。 A lady now
entered； pale of face and dark of eyehis wife。 The husband crossed
the stage； and stood before the fire； his legs astride； in the
attitude which somehow Shelton had felt sure he would assume。 He
spoke：
〃Come in； and shut the door。〃
Shelton suddenly perceived that he was face to face with one of those
dumb moments in which two people declare their inextinguishable
hatred the hatred underlying the sexual intimacy of two ill…
assorted creaturesand he was suddenly reminded of a scene he had
once witnessed in a restaurant。 He remembered with extreme
minuteness how the woman and the man had sat facing each other across
the narrow patch of white； emblazoned by a candle with cheap shades
and a thin green vase with yellow flowers。 He remembered the curious
scornful anger of their voices； subdued so that only a few words
reached him。 He remembered the cold loathing in their eyes。 And；
above all； he remembered his impression that this sort of scene
happened between them every other day； and would continue so to
happen； and as he put on his overcoat and paid his bill he had asked
himself； 〃Why in the name of decency do they go on living together？〃
And now he thought； as he listened to the two players wrangling on
the stage： 〃What 's the good of all this talk？ There's something
here past words。〃
The curtain came down upon the act； and he looked at the lady next
him。 She was shrugging her shoulders at her husband； whose face was
healthy and offended。
〃I do dislike these unhealthy women；〃 he was saying； but catching
Shelton's eye he turned square in his seat and sniffed ironically。
The face of Shelton's friend beyond； composed； satirical as ever； was
clothed with a mask of scornful curiosity； as if he had been
listening to something that had displeased him not a little。 The
goggle…eyed man was yawning。 Shelton turned to Halidome：
〃Can you stand this sort of thing？〃 said he。
〃No； I call that scene a bit too hot；〃 replied his friend。
Shelton wriggled； he had meant to say it was not hot enough。
〃I'll bet you anything；〃 he said； 〃I know what's going to happen now。
You'll have that old asswhat's his name？lunching off cutlets and
champagne to fortify himselffor a lecture to the wife。 He'll show
her how unhealthy her feelings areI know himand he'll take her
hand and say； 'Dear lady； is there anything in this poor world but
the good opinion of Society？' and he'll pretend to laugh at himself
for saying it； but you'll see perfectly well that the old woman means
it。 And then he'll put her into a set of circumstances that are n't
her own but his version of them； and show her the only way of
salvation is to kiss her husband〃； and Shelton grinned。 〃Anyway；
I'll bet you anything he takes her hand and says； 'Dear lady。'〃
Halidome turned on him the disapproval of his eyes； and again he
said；
〃I think Pirbright 's ripping！〃
But as Shelton had predicted； so it turned out； amidst great
applause。
CHAPTER V
THE GOOD CITIZEN
Leaving the theatre； they paused a moment in the hall to don their
coats； a stream of people with spotless bosoms eddied round the
doors； as if in momentary dread of leaving this hothouse of false
morals and emotions for the wet； gusty streets； where human plants
thrive and die； human weeds flourish and fade under the fresh；
impartial skies。 The lights revealed innumerable solemn faces；
gleamed innumerably on jewels； on the silk of hats； then passed to
whiten a pavement wet with newly…fallen rain； to flare on horses； on
the visages of cabmen； and stray； queer objects that do not bear the
light。
〃Shall we walk？〃 asked Halidome。
〃Has it ever struck you；〃 answered Shelton； 〃that in a play nowadays
there's always a 'Chorus of Scandalmongers' which seems to have
acquired the attitude of God？〃
Halidome cleared his throat； and there was something portentous in
the sound。
〃You're so d…d fastidious；〃 was his answer。
〃I've a prejudice for keeping the two things separate；〃 went on
Shelton。 〃That ending makes me sick。〃
〃Why？〃 replied Halidome。 〃What other end is possible？ You don't
want a play to leave you with a bad taste in your mouth。〃
〃But this does。〃
Halidome increased his stride； already much too long； for in his
walk； as in all other phases of his life； he found it necessary to be
in front。
〃How do you mean？〃 he asked urbanely； 〃it's better than the woman
making a fool of herself。〃
〃I'm thinking of the man。〃
〃What man？〃
〃The husband。〃
〃What 's the matter with him？ He was a bit of a bounder； certainly。〃
〃I can't understand any man wanting to live with a woman who doesn't
want him。〃
Some note of battle in Shelton's voice； rather than the sentiment
itself； caused his friend to reply with dignity：
〃There's a lot of nonsense talked about that sort of thing。 Women
don't really care； it's only what's put into their heads。〃
〃That's much the same as saying to a starving man： 'You don't really
want anything； it's only what's put into your head！' You are begging
the question； my friend。〃
But nothing was more calculated to annoy Halidome than to tell him he
was 〃begging the question；〃 for he prided himself on being strong in
logic。
〃That be d…d；〃 he said。
〃Not at all； old chap。 Here is a case where a woman wants her
freedom； and you merely answer that she dogs n't want it。〃
〃Women like that are impossible； better leave them out of court。〃
Shelton pondered this and smiled； he had recollected an acquaintance
of his own； who； when his wife had left him； invented the theory that
she was mad； and this struck him now as funny。 But then he thought：
〃Poor devil！ he was bound to call her mad！ If he didn't； it would
be confessing himself distasteful； however true； you can't expect a
man to consider himself that。〃 But a glance at his friend's eye
warned him that he； too； might think his wife mad in such a case。
〃Surely；〃 he said； 〃even if she's his wife； a man's bound to behave
like a gentleman。〃
〃Depends on whether she behaves like a lady。〃
〃Does it？ I don't see the connection。〃
Halidome paused in the act of turning the latch…key in his door；
there was a rather angry smile in his fine eyes。
〃My dear chap；〃 he said； 〃you're too sentimental altogether。〃
The word 〃sentimental〃 nettled Shelton。 〃A gentleman either is a
gentleman or he is n't； what has it to do with the way other people
behave？〃
Halidome turned the key in the lock and opened the door into his
hall； where the firelight fell on the decanters and huge chairs drawn
towards the blaze。
〃No； Bird；〃 he said； resuming his urbanity； and gathering his coat…
tails in his hands； 〃it's all very well to talk； but wait until
you're married。 A man must be master； and show it； too。〃
An idea occurred to Shelton。
〃Look here； Hal；〃 he said： 〃what should you do if your wife got tired
of you？〃
The expression on Halidome's face was a mixture of amusement and
contempt。
〃I don't mean anything personal； of course； but apply the situation
to yourself。〃
Halidome took out a toothpick； used it brusquely； and responded：
〃I shouldn't stand any humbugtake her travelling； shake her mind
up。 She'd soon come round。〃
〃But suppose she really loathed you？〃
Halidome cleared his throat； the idea was so obviously indecent。 How
could anybody loathe him？ With great composure； however； regarding
Shelton as if he were a forward but amusing child； he answered：
〃There are a great many things to be taken into consideration。〃
〃It appears to me；〃 said Shelton； 〃to be a question of common pride。
How can you； ask anything of a woman who doesn't want to give it。
His friend's voice became judicial。
〃A man ought not to suffer；〃 he said； poring over his whisky；
〃because a woman gets hysteria。 You have to think of Society； your
children； house； money arrangements； a thousand things。 It's all
very well to talk。 How do you like this whisky？〃
〃The part of the good citizen； in fact；〃 said Shelton； 〃self…
preservation！〃
〃Common…sense；〃 returned his friend； 〃I believe in justice before
sentiment。〃 He drank； and callously blew smoke at Shelton。
〃Besides； there are many people with religious views about it。〃
〃It's always seemed to me；〃 said Shelton； 〃to be quaint that people
should assert that marriage gives them the right to 'an eye for an
eye；' and call themselves Christians。 Did you ever know anybody
stand on their rights except out of wounded pride or for the sake of
their own comfort？ Let them call their reasons what they like； you
know as well as I do that it's cant。〃
〃I don't know about that；〃 said Halidome； more and more superior as
Shelton grew more warm； 〃w