Quotation from: The Secret Agent

Written by: Joseph Conrad

"Can't you say something? You have your own dodges for vexing a man. Oh
yes! I know your deaf-and-dumb trick. I've seen you at it before to-
day. But just now it won't do. And to begin with, take this damned
thing off. One can't tell whether one is talking to a dummy or to a live
woman."

He advanced, and stretching out his hand, dragged the veil off, unmasking
a still, unreadable face, against which his nervous exasperation was
shattered like a glass bubble flung against a rock. "That's better," he
said, to cover his momentary uneasiness, and retreated back to his old
station by the mantelpiece. It never entered his head that his wife
could give him up. He felt a little ashamed of himself, for he was fond
and generous. What could he do? Everything had been said already. He
protested vehemently.