"A matter like this _ought_ to be looked at first and foremost from the man's point of view. The truth is, Theo, that you have simply appealed to me in the hope of having your own Quixotic notion confirmed. You want me to say, 'Yes, go; you will be doing quite right.' And--think what you will of me--I flatly refuse to say it!" He regarded her for a few seconds in an admiring silence, the smile deepening in his eyes. Then: "Don't you think you are a little hard on me?" he said at length. "It is not altogether easy to do--this sort of thing." Honor made no immediate reply, though the strongest chords of her being vibrated in response to his words. Then she rose also, and stood before him; her head tilted a little upwards; her candid eyes resting deliberately upon his own. Standing thus, at her full height, she appeared commandingly beautiful, but in the stress of the moment the fact counted for nothing with either of them. All the hidden forces of her nature were set to remove the dogged line from his mouth; and he himself, looking on the fair outward show of her, saw only a mind clear as crystal, lit up by the white light of truth. For an instant they fronted one another--spirits of equal strength. Then Honor spoke. "If I _do_ seem hard on you, it is only because I want, above all things, to convince you that your idea is wrong from every point of view. You have paid me a very high compliment to-day. I want you to pay me a still higher one: to believe that I am speaking the simple truth, as I see it, from a woman's standpoint, not merely trying to save you from unhappiness. May I speak out straight?" "As plainly as you please, Honor. Your opinion will not be despised, I promise you." "Well, then--is it fair on Evelyn to make her upbringing responsible for such a serious turn of the wheel? Would you give her no voice in the matter--treat her as if she were a mere child?" "She is very little more than a child." "Indeed, Theo, she is a great deal more. She is a woman, ... and a wife. The woman's soul isn't fully awake in her yet; but it may come awake any day. And then--how would she feel if she ever found out----" "She never would----" "How can you tell? Women find out most things about the men they--care for. It's a risk not worth running. Would she even acquiesce if you put the matter before her now, child as she is?" "Frankly, I don't know. Possibly not. She isn't able to see ahead much, or look all round a subject." "Shall you be very angry if I say that you haven't yet looked thoroughly round this one? The idea probably came to you as an impulse--a very fine impulse, I admit; and, instead of fairly weighing pros and cons, you have simply been hunting up excuses that will justify you in carrying it out; because, for the moment, Evelyn seems a little discontented with things in general." The hard lines about his mouth relaxed. "You _are_ speaking straight with a vengeance, Honor!"