“Condition!” There was a throb of indignant feeling in the voice of Mrs. Lloyd.

“Yes, on condition that no male visitor at my house shall accompany her home.  A carriage is sent for her precisely at ten o’clock, when she must leave, and alone.”

“Humiliating!” ejaculated Mrs. Lloyd.

“Isn’t it?  I can scarcely have patience with her.  Major Willard has, at my instance, several times made an effort to accompany her, and once actually entered her carriage.  But the lady commanded him to retire, or she would leave the carriage herself.  Of course, when she took that position, the gallant major had to leave the field.”

“Such a restriction would scarce have suited my fancy,” said Mrs. Lloyd.

“Nor mine.  What do you think of that?” And Mrs. Talbot looked into the face of Mrs. Emerson, whose color had risen beyond its usual tone.

“Circumstances alter cases,” replied the latter, crushing out all feeling from her voice and letting it fall into a dead level of indifference.

“But circumstances don’t alter facts, my dear.  There are the hard facts of restrictions and conditions, made by a man, and applied to his equal, a woman.  Does she say to him, You can’t go to your club unless you return alone in your carriage, and leave the club-house precisely at ten o’clock?  Oh no.  He would laugh in her face, or, perhaps, consult the family physician touching her sanity.”

This mode of putting the question rather bewildered the mind of our young wife, and she dropped her eyes from those of Mrs. Talbot and sat looking upon the floor in silence.

“Can’t you get your husband to release you from this engagement of which you have spoken?” asked Mrs. Lloyd.  “I should like above all things to meet you to-morrow evening.”

Mrs. Emerson smiled as she answered,

“Husbands have rights, young know, as well as wives.  We must consult their pleasure sometimes, as well as our own.”

“Certainly—­certainly.”  Mrs. Lloyd spoke with visible impatience.

“I promised to go with my husband to-morrow night,” said Mrs. Emerson; “and, much as I may desire to meet you at Mrs. Talbot’s, I am not at liberty to go there.”

“In bonds!  Ah me!  Poor wives!” sighed Mrs. Talbot, in affected pity.  “Not at liberty!  The admission which comes to us from all sides.”

She laughed in her gurgling, hollow way as she said this.

“Not bound to my husband, but to my word of promise,” replied Mrs. Emerson, as pleasantly as her disturbed feelings would permit her to speak.  The ladies were pressing her a little too closely, and she both saw and felt this.  They were stepping beyond the bounds of reason and delicacy.

Mrs. Lloyd saw the state of mind which had been produced, and at once changed the subject.

“May I flatter myself with the prospect of having this call returned?” she said, handing Mrs. Emerson her card as she was about leaving.