eem to stop. When you've weathered one squall
another gets up on top of the first...."

"There must be a great deal of give-and-take in marriage," began Mrs.
Amber. "I'm as old as both of you put together, and I assure you that
everyone has to make sacrifices, and try to do their duty cheerfully,
and welcome the children whom God sends them."

A little derision curled Osborn's lips.

"I'm afraid these mere platitudes are no solid help."

Mrs. Amber murmured protestingly, but, not knowing what a platitude
was, felt she could not follow up the subject. She rose and picked up
her coat from a chair back, and wrapped herself up to face the night.

"Tell Marie you're pleased," she coaxed.

"But she knows I'm not," said Osborn gloomily, "and neither will she
be. One child on our income is enough. It would be different if we had
plenty of money, but we haven't. Why, a family in this flat! This flat
with two bedrooms! Imagine it! When God sends these blessings, as you
infer He does, He should build rooms for 'em. _I_ can't."

"Oh, don't!" Mrs. Amber implored, "don't! I'm not superstitious,
but--" she looked around her and shuddered--"but you ought not to say
such things. It isn't right. People must make sacrifices."

"Don't say it all over again."

She went with her waddling gait, agitatedly, to the door.

"Good night," she said. "Be very, very kind to Marie, won't you?"

"I don't need anyone to tell me how to treat my own wife," he replied
stiffly.

"Oh, Osborn, don't be offended."

"I'm not offended," he said shortly. "Good night, and thanks for
staying in, and lighting the fire and all that."

He did not remain to watch her slow progress down the stone stairs,
but closed the door and went back to the fire. He pulled out his pipe,
filled and lighted it. There descended upon him that feeling of
hopeless exasperation which many a young man has felt in many such a
situation. When one married did one's liabilities never cease? Did
they never even remain stationary, allowing a man to settle his course
and keep to it, in spite of the boredom involved? Would life be always
just a constant ringing of the changes on paying the rent, paying the
instalment on the furniture, paying the doctor, paying the nurse,
paying to go for one anxious week to Littlehampton? Wasn't there some
alternative?

All a man appeared able to do was to escape for furtive minutes from
his chains, to steal furtive shillings from his obligations