ds.

Miss Macfarlane.

Oh, don't expect paving stones from an old woman like me! I judge
every case on its own merits. I know what men are, though I've been
content to gain my experience at my friends' expense. I tell ye I
know more about the ins and outs of marriages than most married
women, just as the curler on the bank sees most of the game. You
mayn't have been anything worse than a fool, and ye mayn't have been
even that.

Mrs. Tremaine.

Thank you. I was a fool, of course. You see, my first marriage was a
mistake altogether. It was my mother's doing. I knew nothing of
marriage, or love either, for that matter. That came afterwards,
and--all the scandal.

Miss Macfarlane.

And may I ask, young woman, have you run away from your second
husband? You say that marriage was a mistake too.

Mrs. Tremaine.

No; he is dead now.

Miss Macfarlane.

But you don't--(_Looks at her dress._)

Mrs. Tremaine.

No, I don't _afficher_ eternal bereavement. We were separated for
two years.

Mrs. Denham.

Poor Blanche! Then it was not a success?

Mrs. Tremaine.

No; it was not a success.

Miss Macfarlane.

Well, we mustn't ask why?

Mrs. Tremaine.

Oh, I'm in the humour for confession. I think you can understand. We
got on well enough while I was--free. But he did the chivalrous
thing--asked me to marry him; and I was glad enough to scramble back
to the platform of respectability.

Miss Macfarlane.

Well, I understand that, anyhow.

Mrs. Tremaine.

That seemed to kill the romance, such as it was. I need not go into
the sordid details, but we quarrelled finally about money--my
money. My husband took to gambling in stocks. But I have managed to
keep my little pittance, fortunately. Well, that is enough of my
affairs. Have you any children, Constance?

Mrs. Denham.

One little girl, just nine. Have you any?

Mrs. Tremaine.

No--none.

Miss Macfarlane.

A woman who has had such unpleasant experiences ought to hate and
despise men. But of course _you_ don't?

Mrs. Tremaine.

(_laughing_) No--I don't think I hate men exactly. I despise some
men heartily.

Miss Macfarlane.

They're gey ill to live wi', eh?

Mrs. Tremaine.

I don't think marriage suits me, somehow. I suppose it suits some
people. But I think it often tends to reduce them to a dead level of
commonplace. The artificial bond makes people too sure of each
other. It does not do to take love too much for granted, I think.