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ent pretence of quieting the dog confirmed my notion of there being a considerable strain on his elasticity. I confronted Mrs Fyne resolved not to assist her in her eminently feminine occupation of thrusting a stick in the spokes of another woman's wheel. "She tried to preserve her calm-eyed superiority. She was familiar and olympian, fenced in by the tea-table, that excellent symbol of domestic life in its lighter hour and its perfect security. In a few severely unadorned words she gave me to understand that she had ventured to hope for some really helpful suggestion from me. To this almost chiding declaration--because my vindictiveness seldom goes further than a bit of teasing--I said that I was really doing my best. And being a physiognomist..." "Being what?" she interrupted me. "A physiognomist," I repeated raising my voice a little. "A physiognomist, Mrs Fyne. And on the principles of that science a pointed little chin is a sufficient ground for interference. You want to interfere--do you not?" Her eyes grew distinctly bigger. She had never been bantered before in her life. The late subtle poet's method of making himself unpleasant was merely savage and abusive. Fyne had been always solemnly subservient. What other men she knew I cannot tell but I assume they must have been gentlemanly creatures. The girl-friends sat at her feet. How could she recognise my intention. She didn't know what to make of my tone. "Are you serious in what you say?" she asked slowly. And it was touching. It was as if a very young, confiding girl had spoken. I felt myself relenting. "No. I am not, Mrs Fyne," I said. "I didn't know I was expected to be serious as well as sagacious. No. That science is farcical and therefore I am not serious. It's true that most sciences are farcical except those which teach us how to put things together." "The question is how to keep these two people apart," she struck in. She had recovered. I admired the quickness of women's wit. Mental agility is a rare perfection. And aren't they agile! Aren't they-- just! And tenacious! When they once get hold you may uproot the tree but you won't shake them off the branch. In fact the more you shake ... But only look at the charm of contradictory perfections! No wonder men give in--generally. I won't say I was actually charmed by Mrs Fyne. I was not delighted with her. What affected me was not what she displayed but some
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