"
signified, when another woman used them to a husband about his wife. The
very employment of that word "little" was enough, considering that there
was scarcely more than a hair's difference between Mrs. Soulsby and
Alice, and that they were both rather tall than otherwise, as the
stature of women went.

What she had said about the chronic misfortunes of intellectual men in
such matters gave added point to those meaning phrases. Nobody could
deny that geniuses and men of conspicuous talent had as a rule, all
through history, contracted unfortunate marriages. In almost every case
where their wives were remembered at all, it was on account of their
abnormal stupidity, or bad temper, or something of that sort. Take
Xantippe, for example, and Shakespeare's wife, and--and--well, there was
Byron, and Bulwer-Lytton, and ever so many others.

Of course there was nothing to be done about it. These things happened,
and one could only put the best possible face on them, and live one's
appointed life as patiently and contentedly as might be. And Alice
undoubtedly merited all the praise which had been so generously bestowed
upon her. She was good and honest and kindly, and there could be no
doubt whatever as to her utter devotion to him. These were tangible,
solid qualities, which must always secure respect for her. It was true
that she no longer seemed to be very popular among people. He questioned
whether men, for instance, like Father Forbes and Dr. Ledsmar would care
much about her. Visions of the wifeless and academic calm in which
these men spent their lives--an existence consecrated to literature and
knowledge and familiarity with all the loftiest and noblest thoughts of
the past--rose and enveloped him in a cloud of depression. No such
lot would be his! He must labor along among ignorant and spiteful
narrow-minded people to the end of his days, pocketing their insults and
fawning upon the harsh hands of jealous nonentities who happened to
be his official masters, just to keep a roof over his head--or rather
Alice's. He must sacrifice everything to this, his ambitions, his
passionate desires to do real good in the world on a large scale,
his mental freedom, yes, even his chance of having truly elevating,
intellectual friendships. For it was plain enough that the men whose
friendship would be of genuine and stimulating profit to him would not
like her. Now that he thought of it, she seemed latterly to make no
friends at all.