"If you felt that you had to leave home this afternoon, you should have left some suitable explanation for your absence."

"If you felt that you had to leave home this afternoon, you should have left some suitable exlanation for your absence." - page 57

Mr. Pontellier says this to Mrs. Pontellier when she leaves for the afternoon. He feels that he must have so much control over her because thats how husbands are and were over their wives at the time. Mrs. Pontellier is definitely not suitable or happy with being controlled over by someone else she wants to be free and live her life the way she wants and not the way its expected to be in their society.