Shesupposesherpapaknewwhatherdispositionwas-hehadknownherlongenough-heoughttohavebeenacquaintedwithit，butwhatcanshedo？Ifherhomeisalwaysdullandlonely，andherhusbandisalwaysabsentandfindsnopleasureinhersociety，sheisnaturallysometimesdriven（seldomenough，sheissure）toseekalittlerecreationelsewhere；sheisnotexpectedtopineandmopetodeath，shehopes。’Thencome，Louisa，’saysthegentleman，wakingupassuddenlyashefellasleep，’stopathomethisevening，andsowillI。’’Ishouldbesorrytosuppose，Charles，thatyoutookapleasureinaggravatingme，’repliesthelady；’butyouknowaswellasIdothatIamparticularlyengagedtoMrs。
Mortimer，andthatitwouldbeanactofthegrossestrudenessandill-breeding，afteracceptingaseatinherboxandpreventingherfrominvitinganybodyelse，nottogo。’’Ah！thereitis！’saysthegentleman，shrugginghisshoulders，’Iknewthatperfectlywell。Iknewyoucouldn’tdevoteaneveningtoyourownhome。NowallIhavetosay，Louisa，isthis-recollectthatIwasquitewillingtostayathome，andthatit’snofaultofMINEwearenotoftenertogether。’
Withthatthegentlemangoesawaytokeepanoldappointmentathisclub，andtheladyhurriesofftodressforMrs。Mortimer’s；andneitherthinksoftheotheruntilbysomeoddchancetheyfindthemselvesaloneagain。
Butitmustnotbesupposedthatthecoolcouplearehabituallyaquarrelsomeone。Quitethecontrary。Thesedifferencesareonlyoccasionsforalittleself-excuse，-nothingmore。Ingeneraltheyareaseasyandcareless，anddisputeasseldom，asanycommonacquaintancesmay；foritisneitherworththeirwhiletoputeachotheroutoftheway，nortorufflethemselves。
Whentheymeetinsociety，thecoolcouplearethebest-bredpeopleinexistence。Theladyisseatedinacorneramongalittleknotofladyfriends，oneofwhomexclaims，’Why，Ivowanddeclarethereisyourhusband，mydear！’’Whose？-mine？’shesays，carelessly。’Ay，yours，andcomingthiswaytoo。’’Howveryodd！’