IV

After lunch I rubbed my hands, and thought I must go to my wife and tell her that I was going away.  Why?  Who cared?  Nobody cares, I answered, but why shouldn’t I tell her, especially as it would give her nothing but pleasure?  Besides, to go away after our yesterday’s quarrel without saying a word would not be quite tactful:  she might think that I was frightened of her, and perhaps the thought that she has driven me out of my house may weigh upon her.  It would be just as well, too, to tell her that I subscribe five thousand, and to give her some advice about the organization, and to warn her that her inexperience in such a complicated and responsible matter might lead to most lamentable results.  In short, I wanted to see my wife, and while I thought of various pretexts for going to her, I had a firm conviction in my heart that I should do so.

It was still light when I went in to her, and the lamps had not yet been lighted.  She was sitting in her study, which led from the drawing-room to her bedroom, and, bending low over the table, was writing something quickly.  Seeing me, she started, got up from the table, and remained standing in an attitude such as to screen her papers from me.

“I beg your pardon, I have only come for a minute,” I said, and, I don’t know why, I was overcome with embarrassment.  “I have learnt by chance that you are organizing relief for the famine, Natalie.”

“Yes, I am.  But that’s my business,” she answered.

“Yes, it is your business,” I said softly.  “I am glad of it, for it just fits in with my intentions.  I beg your permission to take part in it.”

“Forgive me, I cannot let you do it,” she said in response, and looked away.

“Why not, Natalie?” I said quietly.  “Why not?  I, too, am well fed and I, too, want to help the hungry.”

“I don’t know what it has to do with you,” she said with a contemptuous smile, shrugging her shoulders.  “Nobody asks you.”

“Nobody asks you, either, and yet you have got up a regular committee in my house,” I said.

“I am asked, but you can have my word for it no one will ever ask you.  Go and help where you are not known.”

“For God’s sake, don’t talk to me in that tone.”  I tried to be mild, and besought myself most earnestly not to lose my temper.  For the first few minutes I felt glad to be with my wife.  I felt an atmosphere of youth, of home, of feminine softness, of the most refined elegance—­exactly what was lacking on my floor and in my life altogether.  My wife was wearing a pink flannel dressing-gown; it made her look much younger, and gave a softness to her rapid and sometimes abrupt movements.  Her beautiful dark hair, the mere sight of which at one time stirred me to passion, had from sitting so long with her head bent c ome loose from the comb and was untidy, but, to my eyes, that only made it look more