Hauksbee，butshewasnofoolShekeptherowncounsel，anddidnotspeaktoBremmilofwhatshehadheardThisisworthrememberingSpeakingto，orcryingover，ahusbandneverdidanygoodyet。
WhenBremmilwasathome，whichwasnotoften，hewasmoreaffectionatethanusual；andthatshowedhishandTheaffectionwasforcedpartlytosoothehisownconscienceandpartlytosootheMrsBremmilItfailedinbothregards。
Then“theA-D-CinWaitingwascommandedbyTheirExcellencies，LordandLadyLytton，toinviteMrandMrsCusack-BremmiltoPeterhoffonJuly26that9。30PM。”——“Dancing“inthebottom-
left-handcorner。
“Ican’tgo。”saidMrsBremmil，“itistoosoonafterpoorlittleFlorriebutitneednotstopyou，Tom。”
Shemeantwhatshesaidthen，andBremmilsaidthathewouldgojusttoputinanappearanceHerehespokethethingwhichwasnot；andMrsBremmilknewitSheguessed——awoman’sguessismuchmoreaccuratethanaman’scertainty——thathehadmeanttogofromthefirst，andwithMrsHauksbeeShesatdowntothink，andtheoutcomeofherthoughtswasthatthememoryofadeadchildwasworthconsiderablylessthantheaffectionsofalivinghusband。
ShemadeherplanandstakedheralluponitInthathourshediscoveredthatsheknewTomBremmilthoroughly，andthisknowledgesheactedon。
“Tom。”saidshe，“IshallbediningoutattheLongmores’ontheeveningofthe26thYou’dbetterdineattheclub。”
ThissavedBremmilfrommakinganexcusetogetawayanddinewithMrsHauksbee，sohewasgrateful，andfeltsmallandmeanatthesametime——whichwaswholesomeBremmilleftthehouseatfiveforarideAbouthalf-pastfiveintheeveningalargeleather-
coveredbasketcameinfromPhelps’forMrsBremmilShewasawomanwhoknewhowtodress；andshehadnotspentaweekondesigningthatdressandhavingitgored，andhemmed，andherring-
boned，andtuckedandruckedorwhateverthetermsarefornothingItwasagorgeousdress——slightmourningIcan’tdescribeit，butitwaswhatTheQueencalls“acreation“——athingthathityoustraightbetweentheeyesandmadeyougaspShehadnotmuchheartforwhatshewasgoingtodo；butassheglancedatthelongmirrorshehadthesatisfactionofknowingthatshehadneverlookedsowellinherlifeShewasalargeblondeand，whenshechose，carriedherselfsuperbly。
AfterthedinnerattheLongmores，shewentontothedance——alittlelate——andencounteredBremmilwithMrsHauksbeeonhisarm。
Thatmadeherflush，andasthemencrowdedroundherfordancesshelookedmagnificentShefilledupallherdancesexceptthree，andthosesheleftblankMrsHauksbeecaughthereyeonce；andsheknewitwaswar——realwar——betweenthemShestartedhandicappedinthestruggle，forshehadorderedBremmilaboutjusttheleastlittlebitintheworldtoomuch；andhewasbeginningtoresentitMoreover，hehadneverseenhiswifelooksolovely。
Hestaredatherfromdoorways，andglaredatherfrompassagesasshewentaboutwithherpartners；andthemorehestared，themoretakenwasheHecouldscarcelybelievethatthiswasthewomanwiththeredeyesandtheblackstuffgownwhousedtoweepovertheeggsatbreakfast。
MrsHauksbeedidherbesttoholdhiminplay，but，aftertwodances，hecrossedovertohiswifeandaskedforadance。
“I’mafraidyou’vecometoolate，MISTERBremmil。”shesaid，withhereyestwinkling。
Thenhebeggedhertogivehimadance，and，asagreatfavor，sheallowedhimthefifthwaltzLuckilysstoodvacantonhisprogrammeTheydancedittogether，andtherewasalittleflutterroundtheroomBremmilhadasortofnotionthathiswifecoulddance，butheneverknewshedancedsodivinelyAttheendofthatwaltzheaskedforanother——asafavor，notasaright；andMrsBremmilsaid：“Showmeyourprogramme，dear！”Heshoweditasanaughtylittleschoolboyhandsupcontrabandsweetstoamaster。
Therewasafairsprinklingof“H“onitbesides“H“atsupper。
MrsBremmilsaidnothing，butshesmiledcontemptuously，ranherpencilthrough7and9——two“H’s“——andreturnedthecardwithherownnamewrittenabove——apetnamethatonlysheandherhusbandusedThensheshookherfingerathim，andsaid，laughing：“Oh，yousilly，SILLYboy！”
MrsHauksbeeheardthat，and——sheownedasmuch——feltthatshehadtheworstofitBremmilaccepted7and9gratefu...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：