Slightingly? Yes, a little, of course. It always has that sense on your
lips, I think.'

In the light of this answer he mused upon her readily-offered instance.
True, he had occasionally spoken of Jasper with something less than
respect, but Amy was not in the habit of doing so.

'I hadn't any such meaning just then,' he said. 'I meant quite
simply that my bookish habits didn't promise much for my success as a
novelist.'

'I see. But you didn't think of it in that way at the time.'

He sighed.

'No. At least--no.'

'At least what?'

'Well, no; on the whole I had good hope.'

Amy twisted her fingers together impatiently.

'Edwin, let me tell you something. You are getting too fond of speaking
in a discouraging way. Now, why should you do so? I don't like it. It
has one disagreeable effect on me, and that is, when people ask me about
you, how you are getting on, I don't quite know how to answer. They
can't help seeing that I am uneasy. I speak so differently from what I
used to.'

'Do you, really?'

'Indeed I can't help it. As I say, it's very much your own fault.'

'Well, but granted that I am not of a very sanguine nature, and that I
easily fall into gloomy ways of talk, what is Amy here for?'

'Yes, yes. But--'

'But?'

'I am not here only to try and keep you in good spirits, am I?'

She asked it prettily, with a smile like that of maidenhood.

'Heaven forbid! I oughtn't to have put it in that absolute way. I was
half joking, you know. But unfortunately it's true that I can't be as
light-spirited as I could wish. Does that make you impatient with me?'

'A little. I can't help the feeling, and I ought to try to overcome it.
But you must try on your side as well. Why should you have said that
thing just now?'

'You're quite right. It was needless.'

'A few weeks ago I didn't expect you to be cheerful. Things began
to look about as bad as they could. But now that you've got a volume
finished, there's hope once more.'

Hope? Of what quality? Reardon durst not say what rose in his thoughts.
'A very small, poor hope. Hope of money enough to struggle through
another half year, if indeed enough for that.' He had learnt that Amy
was not to be told the whole truth about anything as he himself saw it.
It was a pity. To the ideal wife a man speaks out all that is in him;
she had infinitely rather share his full conviction than be treated as
one from whom facts must be disguised. She says: 'Let us face t