above the natural passions of the natural man. You may as
well know it first as last. And I do not choose that Dick and half the
men of the station shall practically live in my house because I happen
to possess a very attractive wife."

"In fact, you imply that the attractive wife is bound over not to go
beyond correct platitudes with any of them but you. Is that it?" she
demanded, the red of rebellion staining her cheeks.

The man was sore rather than angry; and the least touch of tenderness
or hesitancy would have melted him to generous contrition. But her
manner hardened him, and he set his teeth.

"I imply nothing of the sort; and you know it. It would never occur to
me to set limits, general or particular, on your conduct with other
men; and as for your intimacy with Dick, if I didn't believe in you
both absolutely I wouldn't live with you another week. But I want to
make it clear to you that, having accepted the fact of marriage, you
cannot in reason be as independent and daringly unconventional in your
dealings with men as you were when you had no one to consider but
yourself. I know India better than you do. We live in glass houses
out here: and I know the sort of remarks that are made about a young
married woman who is never seen without half a dozen men at her
heels . . ."

"But, my dear man," she broke out impatiently, "who cares one grain of
dust what their remarks may be? Men are my natural-born companions.
Always have been. Always will be. And it's no use asking me to cramp
and distort my whole nature because bourgeois people take a low view of
the matter."

"No use, is it? That's pretty strong, Quita. Not that I _am_ asking
anything of the kind: only that you should show some small
consideration for my point of view; that you should make some effort to
adapt yourself to a new relation."

"I _do_ make an effort, Eldred," she answered unappeased. "But
individuality and temperament are stubborn things, even in a woman; and
I can't sacrifice mine because I happen to be your wife. Marriage
doesn't change one into an invertebrate creature of wax and pack-thread
to be moulded or pushed into any shape a man pleases; especially if one
happens to be an artist as well as a woman. We have our own devils
inside us; our own minds and bodies as well as you. It wouldn't be the
least use my promising to walk discreetly and weigh my words and
actions; because I shouldn't keep the promise for five m