But when the case was her own she was merely curious; such are the limitations of the writer of fiction.

That there was a woman in it she did not believe for a moment.

This, of course, did not prevent her saying, with a sob, "Wha is the woman ?" With great earnestness Corp assured her that there was no woman.

He even proved it: "Just listen to reason, Gavinia.

If I was sich a black as to be chief wi' ony woman, and she wanted to gie me a present, weel, she might gie me a pair o' gloves, but one glove, what use would one glove be to me?
I tell you, if a woman had the impidence to gie me one glove, I would fling it in her face." Nothing could have been clearer, and he had put it thus considerately because when a woman, even the shrewdest of them, is excited (any man knows this), one has to explain matters to her as simply and patiently as if she were a four-year-old; yet Gavinia affected to be unconvinced, and for several days she led Corp the life of a lodger in his own house.
"Hands off that poor innocent," she said when he approached the baby.
If he reproved her, she replied meekly, "What can you expect frae a woman that doesna wear gloves ?" To the baby she said: "He despises you, my bonny, because you hae no gloves.