'You are severe on women, are you not'?

“你对女人很严厉，是吗”？

Not at all, was her answer; but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us, and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it.

“根本不懂，他一定是存心刁难我们，不过你最好不要理睬他，让他失望一下。”