Madame Voss perhaps condemned her husband in this matter the more because his romantic disposition never showed itself in his intercourse with her.

He would kiss Marie's hand, and press Marie's wrist, and hold dialogues by the eye with Marie.

But with his wife his speech was,--not exactly yea, yea, and nay, nay,--but yes, yes, and no, no.
It was not unnatural therefore that she should specially dislike this weakness of his which came from his emotional temperament.

'I would just let things go, as though there were nothing special at all,' she said again to him, before supper, in a whisper.
'And so I do.

What would you have me say ?' 'Don't mind petting her, but just be as you would be any other day.' 'I am as I would be any other day,' he replied.