He was quite accustomed to the religious truth which was coming, and, in an ordinary way, did not object to the doctrine which she was apt to preach to him often.  But it had no reference whatever to the matter now under discussion.  The general condition of things produced by the fall of Adam could not be used as an argument against matrimony generally.  Wicked as men and women are it is so evidently intended that they should marry and multiply, that even she would not deny the general propriety of such an arrangement.  Therefore when he was talking to her about their daughter, she was ill-treating him when on that occasion she flew away to her much-accustomed discourse.

‘What’s the use, then, of saying that men are wicked?’

‘They are.  They are!’

’Not a doubt about it.  And so are the women, but they’ve got to have husbands and wives.  They wouldn’t be any the better if there were no marrying.  We have to suppose that Hester will do the same as other girls.’

‘I hope not, Nicholas.’

‘But why not?’

’They are vain, and they adorn themselves, not in modest apparel, as St. Paul says in First Timothy, chapter second, nor with shame-facedness and sobriety; but with braided hair and gold and pearls and costly array.’

‘What has that to do with it?’

‘Oh, Nicholas!’

‘She might be married without all those things.’

‘You said you wanted her to be like other girls.’

’No, I didn’t.  I said she would have to get married like other girls.  You don’t want to make a nun of her.’

’A nun!  I would sooner sit by her bedside and watch her die!  My Hester a nun!’

‘Very well, then.  Let her go out into the world——­’

’The world, Nicholas!  The world, the flesh, and the devil!  Do they not always go together?’

He was much harassed and very angry.  He knew how unreasonable she was, and yet he did not know how to answer her.  And she was dishonest with him.  Because she felt herself unable to advocate in plain terms a thorough shutting up of her daughter,—­a protecting of her from the temptation of sin by absolute and prolonged sequestration,—­therefore she equivocated with him, pretending to think that he was desirous of sending his girl out to have her hair braided and herself arrayed in gold and pearls.  It was thoroughly dishonest, and he understood the dishonesty.  ‘She must go somewhere,’ he said, rising from his chair and closing the conversation.  At this time a month had passed since Caldigate had been at Chesterton, and he had now returned from Scotland to Folking.