But it's an impious, unscriptural opinion to say a woman's
a blessing to a man now; you might as well say adders and wasps, and
foxes and wild beasts are a blessing, when they're only the evils that
belong to this state o' probation, which it's lawful for a man to keep
as clear of as he can in this life, hoping to get quit of 'em for ever
in another--hoping to get quit of 'em for ever in another."
Bartle had become so excited and angry in the course of his invective
that he had forgotten his supper, and only used the knife for the
purpose of rapping the table with the haft. But towards the close, the
raps became so sharp and frequent, and his voice so quarrelsome, that
Vixen felt it incumbent on her to jump out of the hamper and bark
vaguely.
"Quiet, Vixen!" snarled Bartle, turning round upon her. "You're like the
rest o' the women--always putting in your word before you know why."
Vixen returned to her hamper again in humiliation, and her master
continued his supper in a silence which Adam did not choose to
interrupt; he knew the old man would be in a better humour when he had
had his supper and lighted his pipe. Adam was used to hear him talk in
this way, but had never learned so much of Bartle's past life as to know
whether his view of married comfort was founded on experience.
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