"Not guilty! what do you mean? Haven't I told you how I found them the day I came up from Ascot?... And didn't she own up to it? What more proof do you want?" "Anyway, it appears you haven't enough; what are you going to do? Wait until you catch her out?" "There is nothing else to do, unless----" William paused, and his eyes wandered from Esther's. "Unless what?" "Well, you see my solicitors have been in communication with her solicitors, and her solicitors say that if it were the other way round, that if I gave her reason to go against me for a divorce, she would be glad of the chance. That's all they said at first, but since then I've seen my wife, and she says that if I'll give her cause to get a divorce she'll not only go for it, but will pay all the legal expenses; it won't cost us a penny. What do you think Esther?" "I don't know that I understand. You don't mean----" "You see, Esther, that to get a divorce--there's no one who can hear us, is there?" "No, there's no one in the 'ouse except me and the missus, and she's in the study reading. Go on." "It seems that one of the parties must go and live with another party before either can get a divorce. Do you understand?" "You don't mean that you want me to go and live with you, and perhaps get left a second time?" "That's all rot, Esther, and you knows it." "If that's all you've got to say to me you'd better take your hook." "Do you see, there's the child to consider? And you know well enough, Esther, that you've nothing to fear; you knows as well as can be that I mean to run straight this time. So I did before. But let bygones be bygones, and I know you'd like the child to have a father; so if only for his sake----" "For his sake! I like that; as if I hadn't done enough for him. Haven't I worked and slaved myself to death and gone about in rags? That's what that child has cost me. Tell me what he's cost you. Not a penny piece--a toy boat and a suit of velveteen knickerbockers,--and yet you come telling me--I'd like to know what's expected of me. Is a woman never to think of herself? Do I count for nothing? For the child's sake, indeed! Now, if it was anyone else but you. Just tell me where do I come in? That's what I want to know. I've played the game long enough. Where do I come in? That's what I want to know." "There's no use flying in a passion, Esther. I know you've had a hard time. I know it was all very unlucky from the very first. But there's no use saying that you might get left a second time, for you know well enough that that ain't true. Say you won't do it; you're a free woman, you can act as you please. It would be unjust to ask you to give up anything more for the child; I agree with you in all that. But don't fly in a rage with me because I came to tell you there was no other way out of the difficulty." "You can go and live with another woman, and get a divorce that way."