Every man who is high up likes to think he has done it all himself; and the wife smiles, and lets it go at that. It’s our only joke. Every woman knows that.
Meaning of the quote
Men in positions of power often think they have achieved everything alone, without help from others. Their wives just smile and let this belief continue, as this is the only "joke" between them. All women understand this behavior, even if men don't.
More quotes from J. M. Barrie
You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only because we let them slip.
{mb_by_description:plain}
Ambition it is the last infirmity of noble minds.
{mb_by_description:plain}
We are all failures at least, all the best of us are.
{mb_by_description:plain}
Every time a child says I don’t believe in fairies there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.
{mb_by_description:plain}
His lordship may compel us to be equal upstairs, but there will never be equality in the servants’ hall.
{mb_by_description:plain}
That is ever the way. Tis all jealousy to the bride and good wishes to the corpse.
{mb_by_description:plain}
It’s a sort of bloom on a woman. If you have it, you don’t need to have anything else; and if you don’t have it, it doesn’t much matter what else you have.
{mb_by_description:plain}
Every man who is high up likes to think he has done it all himself; and the wife smiles, and lets it go at that. It’s our only joke. Every woman knows that.
{mb_by_description:plain}