July30th——Hereturnedaboutthreeweeksago，ratherbetterinhealth，certainly，thanbefore，butstillworseintemper。Andyet，perhaps，Iamwrong：itisIthatamlesspatientandforbearing。Iamtiredoutwithhisinjustice，hisselfishnessandhopelessdepravity——I
　　wishamilderwordwoulddo——；Iamnoangelandmycorruptionrisesagainstit。Mypoorfatherdiedlastweek：Arthurwasvexedtohearofit，becausehesawthatIwasshockedandgrieved，andhefearedthecircumstancewouldmarhiscomfort。WhenIspokeoforderingmymourning，heexclaimed——
　　`Oh，Ihateblack！Buthowever，Isupposeyoumustwearitawhile，forform’ssake；butIhope，Helen，youwon’tthinkityourboundendutytocomposeyourfaceandmannersintoconformitywithyourfunerealgarb。
　　Whyshouldyousighandgroan，andIbemadeuncomfortablebecauseanoldgentlemanin——hire，aperfectstrangertousboth，hasthoughtpropertodrinkhimselftodeath？——Therenow，Ideclareyou’recrying！Well，itmustbeaffectation。’
　　Hewouldnothearofmyattendingthefuneral，orgoingforadayortwo，tocheerpoorFrederick’ssolitude。Itwasquiteunnecessary，hesaid，andIwasunreasonabletowishit。Whatwasmyfathertome？I
　　hadneverseenhim，butoncesinceIwasababy，andIwellknewhehadnevercaredastiveraboutme；——andmybrothertoo，waslittlebetterthanastranger。`Besides，dearHelen，’saidhe，embracingmewithflatteringfondness，`Icannotspareyouforasingleday。’
　　`Thenhowhaveyoumanagedwithoutme，thesemanydays？’
　　saidI。
　　`Ah！thenIwasknockingabouttheworld，nowIamathome；andhomewithoutyou，myhouseholddeity，wouldbeintolerable。’
　　`Yes，aslongasIamnecessarytoyourcomfort；butyoudidnotsaysobefore，whenyouurgedmetoleaveyou，inorderthatyoumightgetawayfromyourhomewithoutme，’retortedI；butbeforethewordswerewelloutofmymouth，Iregrettedhavingutteredthem。Itseemedsoheavyacharge：iffalse，toogrossaninsult；iftrue，toohumiliatingafacttobethusopenlycastinhisteeth。ButImighthavesparedmyselfthatmomentarypangofself-reproach。Theaccusationawokeneithershamenorindignationinhim：heattemptedneitherdenialnorexcuse，butonlyansweredwithalong，low，chucklinglaughasifheviewedthewholetransactionasaclever，merryjestfrombeginningtoend。Surelythatmanwillmakemedislikehimatlast！
　　`Sineasyebrew，mymaidenfair，Keepmindthatyemaundrinktheyill。”
　　Yes；andIwilldrinkittotheverydregs：andnonebutmyselfshallknowhowbitterIfindit！
　　August20th——Weareshakendownagaintoaboutourusualposition。
　　Arthurhasreturnedtonearlyhisformerconditionandhabits；andIhavefounditmywisestplantoshutmyeyesagainstthepastandfuture，asfarasheatleastisconcerned，andliveonlyforthepresent；
　　tolovehimwhenIcan；tosmileifpossiblewhenhesmiles，becheerfulwhenheischeerful，andpleasedwhenheisagreeable；andwhenheisnot，totrytomakehimso——andifthatwon’tanswer，tobearwithhim，toexcusehim，andforgivehim，aswellasIcan，andrestrainmyownevilpassionsfromaggravatinghis；andyet，whileIthusyieldandministertohismoreharmlesspropensitiestoself-indulgence，todoallinmypowertosavehimfromtheworse。
　　Butweshallnotbelongalonetogether。Ishallshortlybecalledupontoentertainthesameselectbodyoffriendsaswehadtheautumnbeforelast，withtheadditionofMr。Hattersleyand，atmyspecialrequest，hiswifeandchild。IlongtoseeMilicent——andherlittlegirltoo。Thelatterisnowaboveayearold；shewillbeacharmingplaymateformylittleArthur。
　　September30th——Ourguestshavebeenhereaweekortwo；butIhavehadnoleisuretopassanycommentsuponthemtillnow。IcannotgetovermydisliketoLadyLowborough。Itisnotfoundedonmerepersonalpique；itisthewomanherselfthatIdislike，becauseIsothoroughlydisapproveofher。IalwaysavoidhercompanyasmuchasIcanwithoutviolatingthelawsofhospitality；butwhenwedospeakorconversetogether，itiswiththeutmostcivility——evenapparentcordialityonherpart；butpreservemefromsuchcordiality！Itislikehandlingbriar-rosesandmay-blossoms——brightenoughtotheeye，andoutwardlysofttothetouch，butyouknowtherearethornsbeneath，andeverynowandthenyoufeelthemtoo；andperhapsresenttheinjurybycrushingthemintillyouhavedestroyedtheirpower，thoughsomewhattothedetrimentofyourownfingers。
　　Oflate，however，IhaveseennothinginherconducttowardsArthurtoangeroralarmme。DuringthefirstfewdaysIthoughtsheseemedverysolicitoustowinhisadmiration。Hereffortswerenotunnoticedbyhim：
　　Ifrequentlysawhimsmilingtohimselfatherartfulmanoeuvres：but，tohispraisebeitspoken，hershaftsfellpowerlessbyhisside。Hermostbewitchingsmiles，herhaughtiestfrownswereeverreceivedwiththesameimmutable，carelessgood-humour；till，findinghewasindeedimpenetrable，shesuddenlyremittedherefforts，andbecame，toallappearance，asperfectlyindifferentashimself。NorhaveIsincewitnessedanysymptomofpiqueonhispart，orrenewedattemptsatconquestuponhers。
　　Thisisasitshouldbe；butArthurneverwillletmebesatisfiedwithhim。Ihavenever，forasinglehoursinceImarriedhim，knownwhatitistorealizethatsweetidea，`Inquietnessandconfidenceshallbeyourrest。’ThosetwodetestablemenGrimsbyandHattersleyhavedestroyedallmylabouragainsthisloveofwine。Theyencouragehimdailytooversteptheboundsofmoderation，and，notunfrequently，todisgracehimselfbypositiveexcess。Ishallnotsoonforgetthesecondnightaftertheirarrival。
　　JustasIhadretiredfromthedining-room，withtheladies，beforethedoorwascloseduponus，Arthurexclaimed——
　　`Nowthen，mylads，whatsayyoutoaregularjollification？’
　　Milicentglancedatmewithahalfreproachfullook，asifIcouldhinderit；buthercountenancechangedwhensheheardHattersley’svoiceshoutingthroughdoorandwall：
　　`I’myourman！Sendformorewine：hereisn’thalfenough！’
　　Wehadscarcelyenteredthedrawing-roombeforewewerejoinedbyLordLowborough。
　　`Whatcaninduceyoutocomesosoon？’exclaimedhislady，withamostungraciousairofdissatisfaction。
　　`YouknowIneverdrink，Annabella，’repliedhe，seriously。
　　`Well，butyoumightstaywiththemalittle：itlookssosillytobealwaysdanglingafterthewomen——Iwonderyoucan！’
　　Hereproachedherwithalookofmingledbitternessandsurprise，andsinkingintoachair，suppressedaheavysigh，bithispalelips，andfixedhiseyesuponthefloor。
　　`Youdidrighttoleavethem，LordLowborough，’saidI。`Itrustyouwillalwayscontinuetohonourussoearlywithyourcompany。AndifAnnabellaknewthevalueoftruewisdom，andthemiseryoffollyand——andintemperance，shewouldnottalksuchnonsense——eveninjest。’
　　HeraisedhiseyeswhileIspoke，andgravelyturnedthemuponmewithahalfsurprised，halfabstractedlook，andthenbentthemonhiswife。
　　`Atleast，’saidshe，`Iknowthevalueofawarmheartandabold，manlyspirit！’
　　Andshepointedherwordswithaglanceoftriumphatme，whichseemedtosay，`Andthatismorethanyoudo，’andalookofscornatherhusband，thatenteredintohissoul。Iwasintenselyexasperated；
　　butitwasnotformetoreproveher，or，asitseemed，toexpressmysympathywithherhusbandwithoutinsultinghisfeelings。AllIcoulddo，toobeymyinwardimpulse，wastohandhimacupofcoffee，bringingittohimmyself，andbeforeIservedeitheroftheladies，bywayofbalancinghercontemptbymyexceedingdeference。Hetookitmechanicallyfrommyhand，withaslightinclination，and，nextminute，roseandplacedituntastedonthetable，looking，notatit，butather。
　　`Well，Annabella，’saidhe，inadeepandhollowtone，`sincemypresenceisdisagreeabletoyou，Iwillrelieveyouofit。’
　　`Areyougoingbacktothem，then？’saidshe，carelessly。
　　`No，’exclaimedhe，withharshandstartlingemphasis；`IwillNOTgobacktothem！AndIwillneverstaywiththemonemomentlongerthanIthinkright，foryouoranyothertempter！Butyouneedn’tmindthatIshallnevertroubleyouagain，byintrudingmycompanyuponyousounseasonably。’
　　Helefttheroom，Iheardthehalldooropenandshut，andimmediatelyafter，onputtingasidethecurtain，Isawhimpacingdownthepark，inthecomfortlessgloomofthedamp，cloudytwilight。
　　Suchscenesasthisarealwaysdisagreeabletowitness。Ourlittlepartywascompletelysilencedforamoment。Milicentplayedwithherteaspoon，andlookedconfoundedanduncomfortable。IfAnnabellafeltanyshameoruneasiness，sheattemptedtohideitbyashort，recklesslaugh，andcalmlybetookherselftohercoffee。
　　`Itwouldserveyouright，Annabella，’saidIatlength，`ifLordLowboroughweretoreturntohisoldhabits，whichhadsonearlyeffectedhisruin，andwhichitcosthimsuchanefforttobreak。Youwouldthenseecausetorepentsuchconductasthis。’
　　`Notatall，mydear！IshouldnotmindifhisLordshipweretoseefittointoxicatehimselfeveryday：Ishouldonlythesoonerberidofhim。’
　　`Oh，Annabella！’criedMilicent。`Howcanyousaysuchwickedthings！Itwouldindeedbeajustpunishment，asfarasyouareconcerned，ifProvidenceshouldtakeyouatyourword，andmakeyoufeelwhatothersfeelthat——’Shepausedasasuddenburstofloudtalkingandlaughterreachedusfromthediningroom，inwhichthevoiceofHattersleywaspre-eminentlyconspicuous，eventomyunpractisedear。
　　`Whatyoufeelatthismoment，Isuppose？’saidLadyLowborough，withamalicioussmile，fixinghereyesuponhercousin’sdistressedcountenance。
　　Thelatterofferednoreply，butavertedherfaceandbrushedawayatear。AtthatmomentthedooropenedandadmittedMr。Hargrave；
　　justalittleflushed，hisdarkeyessparklingwithunwontedvivacity。
　　`Oh，I’mgladyou’recome，Walter！’criedhissister——`ButI
　　wishyoucouldhavegotRalphtocometoo。’
　　`Utterlyimpossible，dearMilicent，’repliedhe，gaily。`Ihadmuchadotogetawaymyself。Ralphattemptedtokeepmebyviolence；Huntingdonthreatenedmewiththeeternallossofhisfriendship；andGrimsby，worsethanall，endeavouredtomakemeashamedofmyvirtue，bysuchgallingsarcasmsandinnuendosasheknewwouldwoundmethemost。Soyousee，ladies，yououghttomakemewelcomewhenIhavebravedandsufferedsomuchforthefavourofyoursweetsociety。’Hesmilinglyturnedtomeandbowedashefinishedthesentence。
　　`Isn’thehandsomenowHelen？’whisperedMilicent，hersisterlyprideovercoming，forthemoment，allotherconsiderations。
　　`Hewouldbe，’Ireturned，`ifthatbrillianceofeye，andlip，andcheekwerenaturaltohim；butlookagain，afewhourshence。’
　　Herethegentlemantookaseatnearmeatthetable，andpetitionedforacupofcoffee。
　　`IconsiderthisanaptillustrationofHeaventakenbystorm，’
　　saidhe，asIhandedonetohim。`Iaminparadisenow；butIhavefoughtmywaythroughfloodandfiretowinit。RalphHattersley’slastresourcewastosethisbackagainstthedoor，andswearIshouldfindnopassagebutthroughhisbodyaprettysubstantialonetoo。Happily，however，thatwasnottheonlydoor，andIeffectedmyescapebythesideentrance，throughthebutler’spantry，totheinfiniteamazementofBenson，whowascleaningtheplate。’
　　Mr。Hargravelaughed，andsodidhiscousin；buthissisterandIremainedsilentandgrave。
　　`Pardonmylevity，Mrs。Huntingdon，’murmuredhe，moreseriously，asheraisedhiseyestomyface。`Youarenotusedtothesethings：yousufferthemtoaffectyourdelicatemindtoosensibly。ButIthoughtofyouinthemidstofthoselawlessroisterers；andIendeavouredtopersuadeMr。Huntingdontothinkofyoutoo；buttonopurpose：Ifearheisfullydeterminedtoenjoyhimselfthisnight；anditwillbenousekeepingthecoffeewaitingforhimorhiscompanions：itwillbemuchiftheyjoinusattea。Meantime，IearnestlywishIcouldbanishthethoughtsofthemfromyourmind——andmyowntoo，forIhatetothinkofthem——yes——evenofmydearfriendHuntingdon，whenIconsiderthepowerhepossessesoverthehappinessofonesoimmeasurablysuperiortohimself，andtheusehemakesofit——Ipositivelydetesttheman！’
　　`Youhadbetternotsaysotome，then，’saidI；`for，badasheis，heispartofmyself，’andyoucannotabusehimwithoutoffendingme。’
　　`Pardonme，then，forIwouldsoonerdiethanoffendyou——Butletussaynomoreofhimforthepresentifyouplease。’