And this was the epic age, over whose departure my late eloquent and prophetic friend and correspondent, Edmund Burke, so movingly mourned.  Yes, they were glorious times.  But no sensible man, given to quiet domestic delights, would exchange his warm fireside and muffins, for a heroic bivouac, in a wild beechen wood, of a raw gusty morning in Normandy; every knight blowing his steel-gloved fingers, and vainly striving to cook his cold coffee in his helmet.

CHAPTER XXV Peril A Peace-Maker

A few days passed:  the brigantine drifting hither and thither, and nothing in sight but the sea, when forth again on its stillness rung Annatoo’s domestic alarum.  The truce was up.  Most egregiously had the lady infringed it; appropriating to herself various objects previously disclaimed in favor of Samoa.  Besides, forever on the prowl, she was perpetually going up and down; with untiring energy, exploring every nook and cranny; carrying off her spoils and diligently secreting them.  Having little idea of feminine adaptations, she pilfered whatever came handy:—­iron hooks, dollars, bolts, hatchets, and stopping not at balls of marline and sheets of copper.  All this, poor Samoa would have borne with what patience he might, rather than again renew the war, were it not, that the audacious dame charged him with peculations upon her own private stores; though of any such thing he was innocent as the bowsprit.

This insulting impeachment got the better of the poor islander’s philosophy.  He keenly resented it.  And the consequence was, that seeing all domineering useless, Annatoo flew off at a tangent; declaring that, for the future, Samoa might stay by himself; she would have nothing more to do with him.  Save when unavoidable in managing the brigantine, she would not even speak to him, that she wouldn’t, the monster!  She then boldly demanded the forecastle—­in the brig’s case, by far the pleasantest end of the ship—­for her own independent suite of apartments.  As for hapless Belisarius, he might do what he pleased in his dark little den of a cabin.

Concerning the division of the spoils, the termagant succeeded in carrying the day; also, to her quarters, bale after bale of goods, together with numerous odds and ends, sundry and divers.  Moreover, she laid in a fine stock of edibles, so as, in all respects possible, to live independent of her spouse.

Unlovely Annatoo!  Unfortunate Samoa!  Thus did the pair make a divorce of it; the lady going upon a separate maintenance,—­and Belisarius resuming his bachelor loneliness.  In the captain’s state room, all cold and comfortless, he slept; his lady whilome retiring to her forecastle boudoir; beguiling the hours in saying her pater-nosters, and tossing over and assorting her ill-gotten trinkets and finery; like Madame De Maintenon dedicating her last days and nights to continence and calicoes.

But think you this was the quiet end of their conjugal quarrels?  Ah, no!  No end to those feuds, till one or t’other gives up the ghost.