MRS. H. One mass of vanity! Will nothing ever touch you in this
life? There must be a Hereafter if it's only

for the benefit of-But you will have it all to yourself.

CAPT. G. (Under his eyebrows.) Are you certain of that?

MRS. H. I shall have had mine in this life; and it will serve me
right,

CAPT. G. But the admiration that you insisted on so strongly a
moment ago? (Aside.) Oh, I am a brute!

MRS. H. (Fiercely.) Will that con-sole me for knowing that you
will go to her with the same words, the same arguments, and
the-the same pet names you used to me? And if she cares for you,
you two will laugh over my story. Won't that be punishment heavy
enough even for me-even for me?-And it's all useless. That's
another punishment.

CAPT. G. (Feebly.) Oh, come! I'm not so low as you think.

MRS. H. Not now, perhaps, but you will be. Oh, Pip, if a woman
flatters your vanity, there's nothing on earth that you would not tell
her; and no meanness that you would not do. Have I known you so
long without knowing that?

CAPT. G. If you can trust me in nothing else-and I don't see why I
should be trusted-you can count upon my holding my tongue.