When they had driven for three blocks, Ruth said: “You know, Tom, there’s a lot in what Dave said. Maybe we ought to withdraw Ella, too.”

In a sense he’d been waiting for it, and was not surprised; in another, he was no less surprised and shocked than if his right hand had suddenly risen of its own accord and slapped him. It was horrible enough to hear your friends talking hateful nonsense, but—

“Tom?”

“I’m sorry. A little heartburn.”

“Probably it was the fried onions. You know you should never eat fried onions.”

“Go on with what you were saying.”

“I was only thinking that maybe it would be best to take Ella out of school for a while. Just for a while. Until we see how this thing is going to go.”

He pulled over to the side of the road, cut the engine, pulled on the brake. “Do you mean that?” he asked.

“Why yes,” Ruth said. “After all, it’s pretty obvious, isn’t it, that Dave’s right?”

She waited.

“Tom, what is the matter with you?”

Something inside exploded, and he could not check the force of it. “Forget it,” he said. “Ella goes to school and that’s that. Do you understand?” He reached for the ignition key.

“No,” Ruth said, slowly, “I don’t understand.” She paused. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Ella stays at school. Period.”

She touched his arm. “Darling,” she said, “please. You’ve been so upset the past week that we’ve hardly exchanged a word. It seems to me that this is important enough to discuss. I mean—Tom, don’t you think you’re being a little unfair? You’ve had problems before, all sorts of problems, and you always told me about them. And we’ve had differences of opinion, too—but we talked them over, together. We’re not together any more,” she said, and he could see the tears gathering in her eyes. “I don’t know you any more. I used to think I did, but—”

Still he could not find words, and he could not bring himself to comfort Ruth, to put his arm about her, pull her head to his shoulder.

“This is the biggest thing that’s ever come into our lives,” she said. “I didn’t realize that at first, but I do now. We have a decision to make. I don’t want to make it alone. But you’re forcing me to. I asked to discuss it a thousand times, but every time you’ve turned me down. You wouldn’t talk with me, and you won’t talk now. I decided what I thought we’d both consider best, and now you’re angry. Why?” Her voice was rising. “There isn’t anything illegal about removing a child from school, and you know it. That doesn’t break the precious law! Does it?”