“I have been awake since six o’clock, and have had the patience to wait two hours for you to wake; you have slept nine hours.” “And if I wish to sleep ten what have you to say against it? Do you not remember that I worked like a dog yesterday, that I had to attend to the house linen, put the drawing room in order, and then went round to all the shops to find a good flannel for your vests? You ruin my health, and will give me disease of the heart by your nasty habit of waking me up so suddenly.” “And how ought I to wake you? Teach me.” “If I could teach you to have a little more consideration, if I could cure you of your egotism, I would willingly do so; you only think of yourself.” The tone of the conversation on her part, at first slightly irritated, had become angry, rancorous, and full of suppressed bitterness. He felt it, but still hoped for a reconciliation. He tried to feel her heart. “Let me see if you really have palpitation of the heart.” She turned her back on him angrily. “Let me alone; after having done me harm you now want to joke. I tell you you will finish by killing me!” He turned away too, muttering under his breath and thinking sad thoughts of that chemical combination called marriage. ⁂ “Listen, dear; I should like to dine an hour earlier to-day.” “And why?” “Because I eat nothing at breakfast and have a poet’s hunger.” “I, on the contrary, have none at all. I eat too much.” “But besides my appetite, I have another reason for wishing to dine earlier. Do you know, I have promised my oldest and best friend, Giovanni, to meet him at the station on his way to Rome?” “Who knows that it is not a lady instead?” “Come with me to the station and convince yourself.” “Heaven defend me! I am not jealous.” “A little! You are jealous six days in the week and seven times every day. You are always so and always in the wrong.” “But I tell you I believe you; I was only joking.” “Very well, then, we will dine at five instead of six.” “Impossible! Annina has brought home such a tough fowl that it will require all the cooking in the world to have it ready by seven.” “But I can do without the fowl!” “But there is nothing else! Go another time to meet Giovanni—when he returns from Rome, for instance.” “He will not be returning by the same route. I know he has to go back by Civita Vecchia and Genoa.” “Well, anyhow, we cannot dine at five!” “Ah! it is enough that I should ask a thing for you to find a thousand and one difficulties to prevent you doing what I want. It has been so ever since we were married, and will be to the end.” “And you will always be that obstinate and infallible man who wishes to command in housekeeping where the woman ought to be mistress.” “Go on, go on! Just because one wants dinner at five instead of at six you have your usual reproaches for me. I know them by heart already.”