to their
wives, averring that women could never be trusted to keep a secret;
though as far as I have seen of them, methinks a woman can keep a
bridle on her tongue just as well as a man--and indeed, somewhat
better, since they do not loosen them with cider, or wine, or
strong waters. But I believe, myself, it was not so much that they
doubted whether their wives would keep the secret, as whether they
would approve of the enterprise; and that they made the contract
together, in order that each might, afterwards, be able to assure
his wife that, for his part, he would gladly have taken her into
his confidence, but that he was obliged to fall in with the wishes
of his partners.

"It is a strange thing, Roger, but methinks that, whereas most men
behave valiantly enough when it comes to blows with an enemy, a
great proportion are but cowards with their wives."

"But why should they be, father?"

"That is an easy question to ask, Roger, but a difficult one to
answer. Maybe you will understand the matter better, some day, when
you have taken a wife to yourself. In some matters there is no
doubt that women's wits outrun those of men, and that they have a
wonderful sharpness of tongue. Now a man, when things go wrong with
him, speaks out loudly and roundly; he storms and he rages, but
when it is over, there is an end of it. Now a woman is not like
that. She seems to ponder the matter over in her heart, and to
bring it out as it were piecemeal--throwing little darts at you
when you don't expect it; saying little things to which, from their
suddenness, you can find no reply; and pricking you furiously all
over, until you are ready to roar out with pain and vexation. You
see, Roger, a prick hurteth more than a great cut."

"I should not have thought that, father."

"That is because you have not thought the matter over, Roger. In
that fight with the Moors many of the men were sorely cut and
wounded, but you heard no cry from them; they only set their teeth
the harder, and smote more furiously upon their foes; but there was
no one of them all but, had he sat down suddenly on a small nail,
would have roared out like a bull, and have sworn lustily for a
good half hour. So it is in domestic matters: the man rages and
storms when things go wrong; and his wife, if she be a woman of
judgment, holds her peace until it is over, knowing well enough
that he will be at her mercy, afterwards. Then she sets to work,
like those gnats that