‘Every persisting marriage is based on fear,’ said Peregrine. Tear is fundamental, you dig down in human nature and what’s at the bottom? Mean spiteful cruel self-regarding fear, whether it makes you put the boot in or whether it makes you cower. As for marriage, people simply settle into positions of domination and submission. Of course they sometimes ‘grow together’ or ‘achieve a harmony’, since you have to deal rationally with a source of terror in your life.

I suspect there are awfully few happy marriages really, only people conceal their misery and their disappointment. How many happy couples do we know?

I.Murdock. The Sea, the Sea