At the council she insults you; well, you insult her back--a man to a woman, a husband to his wife, in public! Next upon the back of this, you propose--the story runs like wildfire--to recall the power of signature.

Can she ever forgive that?
a woman--a young woman--ambitious, conscious of talents beyond yours?
Never, Otto.

And to sum all, at such a crisis in your married life, you get into a window corner with that ogling dame von Rosen.

I do not dream that there was any harm; but I do say it was an idle disrespect to your wife.

Why, man, the woman is not decent.' 'Gotthold,' said Otto, 'I will hear no evil of the Countess.' 'You will certainly hear no good of her,' returned Gotthold; 'and if you wish your wife to be the pink of nicety, you should clear your court of demi-reputations.' 'The commonplace injustice of a by-word,' Otto cried.