There had been some difficulty in this, because he had snubbed Stanbury grievously when his friend had attempted to do some work of gentle interference between him and his wife; and when he began the conversation, he took the trouble of stating, in the first instance, that the separation was a thing fixed,--so that nothing might be urged on that subject.

"It is to be.

You will understand that," he said; "and if you think that your mother would agree to the arrangement, it would be satisfactory to me, and might, I think, be made pleasant to her.

Of course, your mother would be made to understand that the only fault with which my wife is charged is that of indomitable disobedience to my wishes." "Incompatibility of temper," suggested Stanbury.
"You may call it that if you please;--though I must say for myself that I do not think that I have displayed any temper to which a woman has a right to object." Then he had gone on to explain what he was prepared to do about money.

He would pay, through Stanbury's hands, so much for maintenance and so much for house rent, on the understanding that the money was not to go into his wife's hands.
"I shall prefer," he said, "to make myself, on her behalf, what disbursements may be necessary.