He Knew He Was Right

that promise which he had demanded, and resolving that if it were made he would at once become affectionate, yielding, and gentle to his wife. But there was not a word written by his wife wi

ts, Th

R EM

t is all settled, and Sir M. has been sent fo

he promise which her husband exacted, but nevertheless, she was minded to obey him; Had he included in his demand any requirement that she should receive no letter from Colonel Osborne, she would not have open

pect his father. And then there came a horrible thought. What if the child should be taken away from her? If this quarrel, out of which she saw no present mode of escape, were to lead to a separation between her and her husband, would not the law, and the judges, and the courts, and all the Lady Milboroughs of their joint acquaintance into

dog,’ said Nora; ‘but, of course,

s bad enough for a few days, but she gets over it in a week.’ There was a pause then for a few moments. Nora knew well whi

s to marry, I think she had better marry a fool. After all, a fool generally kno

ttingly marry a

that he is a fool; but I do not think he has that

uld not have him, and

marry. And this man is a gentleman, and will be a peer. There is nothing on earth against him, except that h

rry Mr Glascock. A woman can

burden. I suppose it was thought necessary that every man should have two to choose from; and therefore there are so many more of us than the wor

own, and left it where Louis Tre

to this man’s judgment and wish, and not according to his judgment and wish — not according to the judgment and wish of him who was her husband, her lord, and her master! ‘Of course, you will tell T. now.’ This was intolerable to him. It made him feel that he was to be regarded as second, and this man to be regarded as first. And then he began to recapitulate all the good things he had done for his wife, and all the causes which he had given her for gratitude. Had he not taken her to his bosom, and bestowed upon her the half of all that he had, simply for herself, asking for nothing more than her love? He had possessed money, position, a name all that makes life worth having. He had found her in a remote corner of the world, with no fortune, with no advantages of family or social standing, so circumstanced that any friend would have warned him against such a marriage; but he had given her his heart, and his hand, and his house, and had asked for nothing in return but that he should be all in all to

oyal a queen as though he had taken her from the oldest stock of reigning families then extant. Trevelyan knew all this himself, had said so to himself a score of times, though not probably in spoken words or formed sentences. But, that all was equal between himself and the wife of his bosom, had been a thing ascertained by him as a certainty. There was no debt of gratitude from her to him which he did not acknowledge to exist also as from him to her. But yet, in his anger, he could not keep himself from thinking of the gifts he had showered upon her. And he

shoulders. It was not enough for Caesar that his wife should be true; it was necessary to Caesar that she should not even be suspected. Trevelyan told himself that he suspected his wife of no sin. God forbid that it should ever come to that, both for his sake and for hers; and, above all, for the sake of that boy who was so dear to them both! But there would be the vile whispers, and dirty slanders would be dropped from envious tongues into envious ears, and minds prone to evil would t

t he was her master. But how was he to proceed when she refused to obey the plainest and most necessary command which he laid upon her? Let a man be ever so much his wife’s master, he cannot maintain his masterdom by any power which the law places in his hands. He had asked his wife for a promise of obedience, and she would not give it to him! What was he to do next? He could, no doubt, at least he thought so, ke

der to him the obedience which was his privilege. The more he thought of it, the more convinced he was that he ought not to yield to her. Let her once yield to him, and then his tenderness should begin, and there should be

, as it may from servants, by aid of law and with penalties, or as from a horse, by punishments, and manger curtailments. A man should be master in his own house, but he should make his mastery palatable, equitable, smooth, soft to the touch, a thing almost unfelt. How was he to do all this now, when he had already given an order to which obedience had been refused unless under certain stipulations an ag

t note which he had destroyed. At last he resolved to write to his wi

EST

y

u know his handwriting you will have no difficulty in so arranging. Should any further letter come from Co

ening. Pray think very carefully over what I have asked of you. My request to you is, that you shall give me a promise that you will not willingly see Colonel Osborne again. Of course you will

d after one word from you to the desired effect, you will find that there will be no recurrence by me to a subject so hatef

ays, dear

most thor

Trev

is wife’s dressing-room table,