And even were he to consent to do this, how could he explain it all to that very wife for whose sake he would do it?
If she got a hint of the reason she would, he did not doubt, refuse to go.

As he thought of it, and as that visit up-stairs prolonged itself, he almost thought it would be best for him to be round with her! We all know what a husband means when he resolves to be round with his wife.

He began to think that he would not apologise at all for the words he had spoken,--but would speak them again somewhat more sharply than before.

She would be very wrathful with him; there would be a silent enduring indignation, which, as he understood well, would be infinitely worse than any torrent of words.

But was he, a man, to abstain from doing that which he believed to be his duty because he was afraid of his wife's anger?
Should he be deterred from saying that which he conceived it would be right that he should say, because she was stiff-necked?
No.