"That is pride, which is a thing all you women suffer from," Tom said. "She"—indicating Aileen—"has violent attacks of it whenever I wash up, or sweep a room, or do any of the things she imagines she does better than I do.  Of course, it’s only a delusion on her part, because I’m really a first-class housemaid: but there it is.  It’s a pity, because otherwise she has rather a nice character!"