THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE FOREST 157 



winter, coals and provisions being at their present 

 high prices ; this remark is met by her husband, who 

 is apparently of a more hopeful turn of mind, assuring 

 her that Providence will look after them. In illustra- 

 tion number four the wife has seemingly brightened 

 up a little, and has ventured, in a very mild way, to 

 make a joke ; she looks timidly at her husband to see 

 how it has "taken," and almost wishes she could recall 

 it. How well we recognise the husband's demeanour 

 from our knowledge of human nature ; the much-sat- 

 upon wife, it may be, taking advantage of an unusual 

 period of good-humoured self-complacency in her 

 spouse, ventures her annual joke ; too often, alas; this 

 is met by the husband with a rather forced and tolerant 

 smile, and some such reply as, " Really, my dear, if you 

 can't think of anything better to say than that ! " 



After all, they were only acting, as we see from the 

 illustration in the centre of the plate, which says as 

 plainly as can be, that they are not such fools as they 

 look. 



