The Hand of Ethelberta

companied Ethelberta the night before, came int

awful and imminent mood that lay behind. She was pointing to a paragraph under the heading of 'Literary Notes,' which contai

t says,' said Et

it is

u. It was not done in the spirit that you may imagine: it was m

ot written every one o

is; but what she actually did say was, '"Ribald"-what do you mea

as well as some persons, the less you are acqu

deserve this, L

hose dreams in which people have no moral sense, to see how impr

se poems. And perhaps I might have done a much better thing,

them unwritten, and

of humour than principle. Wha

o my dear b

t in the majority of cases one is fond of imagining the direct opposite of one's principles in sheer effort after something fresh and free; at any rate, some of the lightest of those rhymes were com

to have cherished? There is only one thing that women of your sort are

rs have passed since I last saw my boy-husband. We were mere children; see how I have altered since in mind, substance, and outline-I have even grown half an inch taller sinc

idea of being a wife; and the sin against your conventional state thus assumed is almost as bad as would have been a sin against the marri

irtuous by being more unfe

foreign travel and good society to enlarge your mind. In short, I have been like a Naomi to

arison with me, and yet Naomi never blamed her. You are unfortunate in your illustration. But it is dr

elberta. You are too much g

e has leaked out; and I am not ribald, or an

ot feel so ardent as y

o ow

our name has been publish

a

o misrepresent your character as a g

fear

tantly. That is the only way in which you can reg

atmosphere had far from light enough in it to

aid Lady

have been obedient for four years, and would continue so-but

to your hands. Money

e it would-a t

said Lady Petherwin, after a pause. 'You ha

em to be suppressed. I am not ashamed of them; there is nothing to

and wanting in natural affection fo

an intol

took out a small deed-box, removed from it a folded packet, unfolded it, crumpled it up, and turning round suddenly flung it into the fire. Then she stood and beheld it eaten away word after word by the flam

seized with them the portion of the writing yet unconsumed, an

his out!' And the two women went trampling wildly upon the

t?' said E

ave kept it by me lately, for I have

ming in to tell you that I would always cling to yo

at such a time,' said Lady Petherwin, sinkin

helberta, 'you

ven me such crooked looks tha

ou must name it at all,' said the daughter-in-law, with wet eyelids. 'God knows I had no selfish thought in saying that. I

ight again? However, now I must send for Mr. Chancerly-no, I am going out on other busin

ur later Lady Petherwin's coachman drove his mistress up t