The baby sucked intermittently at his bottle.

When Marie had put on her blouse and skirt, and a pinafore to protect them, she went out without further conversation.  Osborn wondered a little whether she sulked, but she was not sulking; she was only occupied much as he was, in thinking and considering and arguing with herself about him.  She was modern enough to remain proud and critical and impatient after domestic experiences which would have gone far towards cowing the generation of women before her.  Her mother had bowed beneath such experiences without so much as an inquiry or expostulation.  As Marie hurried about with brush and duster, with black-lead and fire-fuel, as she stood over the purring stove, and watched toast and eggs and coffee come to their various perfections, each over its ring of flame, she was absorbed in wondering: 

“It is I who am right?  It’s I who have the harder time?  It’s the woman upon whom everything falls?  But can’t it all be put right somehow?  Couldn’t I make him see?”

Something definite emerged from her prospecting, at least; the resolve to seek an understanding with Osborn, not now, over breakfast with its time-limit and its haste, but perhaps to-night, after dinner, when he’d come in, and been fed and rested, and had put on his warm slippers.  She faced Osborn over the breakfast-table with a brightness which he was relieved to see; but after he had noted it with inward approval, he hid himself behind his newspaper; he wanted to say little; to get away very, very quietly.

He had known many men who had to fly before the domestic sirocco; he had laughed at and despised them in his heart.  But—­poor beggars!  No doubt they had hidden themselves behind newspapers with a child-like faith in the impenetrability of the shield, even as he was hiding.

Poor beggars!

It was no better than the ostrich habit of tucking your head into the sand, to crowd yourself behind your morning paper.  You felt awfully nervy behind it, and you kept a scowl handy.  There was something in the tension which made you bolt your good food quickly, indifferent as your lunch would be presently, and which made you glad when you were ready to rise, and remark with a forced bonhomie: 

“Well, so long, girlie!  I must be off.”

Marie followed Osborn out into the narrow hall, where now faint daubs marked the cream distemper, and helped him on with his coat, and found his gloves and muffler.  “It’s cold, dear,” she said solicitously, “wrap up well.”

“Oh, that’s all right!  Take care of yourself and baby.  Good-bye!”

He stooped and kissed her lips quickly, avoiding her eyes, and went out whistling.  A forlornness overtook her; she ran back through the dining-room to the window, and, leaning out, watched for him to emerge from the doorway below; when he came, and started down the street towards the tramcar terminus, she made ready to wave as she used to do should he look up.