a few days. But apparently it was part of his
fun to outrage her feelings as much as possible.

"Mr. Cutter will pay for this, Mrs. Burden.
He will pay!" Mrs. Cutter avouched, nodding
her horselike head and rolling her eyes.

Grandmother said she hadn't a doubt of it.

Certainly Cutter liked to have his wife
think him a devil. In some way he depended
upon the excitement he could arouse in her
hysterical nature. Perhaps he got the feeling
of being a rake more from his wife's rage and
amazement than from any experiences of his
own. His zest in debauchery might wane, but
never Mrs. Cutter's belief in it. The reckoning
with his wife at the end of an escapade was
something he counted on -- like the last pow-
erful liqueur after a long dinner. The one ex-
citement he really couldn't do without was
quarreling with Mrs. Cutter!

[[288]]

p287 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p288w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p289

v?