with the first one, made them
into a ball, and threw it across the room against the window, while his
colour deepened.

'Oh, do you want to have a game? Shall I send for Archie?'

'Edith, why don't you take off your hat?'

'I can't think. Why don't you take off your coat?'

'I haven't time. Show me that letter.'

'What letter?'

'Don't prevaricate with me.' Bruce had now definitely lost his temper.
'I can stand anything except prevarication. Anything in the world, but
prevarication, I can endure, with patience. But _not_ that! As if you
didn't know perfectly well there's only one letter I want to see.'

'Really?'

'Who's your letter from?'

'How should I know?'

Edith got up and went towards the door. Bruce was beforehand with her
and barred the way, standing with his arms outstretched and his back to
the door.

'Edith, I'm pained and surprised at your conduct!'

'Conduct!' she exclaimed.

'Don't echo my words! I will _not_ be echoed, do you hear?...
Behaviour, then, if you prefer the word.... Why don't you wish me to
see that letter?'

Edith quickly looked at the letter. Until this moment she had had an
unreasonable and nervous terror that Aylmer might have forgotten his
intention of writing what he called officially, and might have written
her what she now inwardly termed a lot of nonsense. But she now saw she
had made a mistake: it was not his handwriting nor his postmark. She
became firmer.

'Look here Bruce,' she said, in a decided voice, quietly. 'We have been
married eight years, and I consider you ought to trust me sufficiently
to allow me to open my own letters.'

'Oh, you do, do you? What next? What next! I suppose the next thing
you'll wish is to be a suffragette.'

'The question,' said Edith, in the most cool, high, irritating voice
she could command, 'really, of votes for women hardly enters into our
argument here. As a matter of fact, I take no interest in any kind of
politics, and, I may be entirely wrong, but if I were compelled to take
sides on the subject, I should be an anti-suffragist.'

'Oh, you would, would you? That's as well to know! That's interesting.
Give me that letter.'

'Do you think you have the right to speak to me like that?'

'Edith,' he said rather pathetically, trying to control himself. 'I beg
you, I _implore_ you to let me see the letter! Hang it all! You know
perfectly well, old girl, how fond I am of you. I may worry you a bit
sometimes, but you know m