This last remarkable statement was made in a long and violent epistle to Miss Barfoot, which the recipient showed to her cousin on the first opportunity.

Everard had called one Sunday morning--it was the end of March--to say good-bye on his departure for a few weeks' travel.

Having read the letter, he laughed with a peculiar fierceness.
'This kind of thing,' said Miss Barfoot, 'may necessitate your prosecuting her.

There is a limit, you know, even to a woman's licence.' 'I am far more likely,' he replied, 'to purchase a very nice little cane, and give her an exemplary thrashing.' 'Oh! Oh!' 'Upon my word, I see no reason against it! That's how I should deal with a man who talked about me in this way, and none the less if he were a puny creature quite unable to protect himself.

In that furious scene before we got Tom away I felt most terribly tempted to beat her.
There's a great deal to be said for woman-beating.