And if there had been, how much less would have been her ground of complaint?  Let a man have any such friendships, what friendships he may, he does not disgrace his wife.  He felt himself to be so true of heart that he desired no such friendships; but for a man indulging in such friendships there might be excuse.  Even though a man be false, a woman is not shamed and brought unto the dust before all the world.  But the slightest rumour on a woman’s name is a load of infamy on her husband’s shoulders.  It was not enough for Caesar that his wife should be true; it was necessary to Caesar that she should not even be suspected.  Trevelyan told himself that he suspected his wife of no sin.  God forbid that it should ever come to that, both for his sake and for hers; and, above all, for the sake of that boy who was so dear to them both!  But there would be the vile whispers, and dirty slanders would be dropped from envious tongues into envious ears, and minds prone to evil would think evil of him and of his.  Had not Lady Milborough already cautioned him?  Oh, that he should have lived to have been cautioned about his wife, that he should be told that eyes outside had looked into the sacred shrine of his heart and seen that things there were fatally amiss!  And yet Lady Milborough was quite right.  Had he not in his hand at this moment a document that proved her to be right?  ’Dear Emily’!  He took this note and crushed it in his fist and then pulled it into fragments.

But what should he do?  There was, first of all considerations, the duty which he owed to his wife, and the love which he bore her.  That she was ignorant and innocent he was sure; but then she was so contumacious that he hardly knew how to take a step in the direction of guarding her from the effects of her ignorance, and maintaining for her the advantages of her innocence.  He was her master, and she must know that he was her master.  But how was he to proceed when she refused to obey the plainest and most necessary command which he laid upon her?  Let a man be ever so much his wife’s master, he cannot maintain his masterdom by any power which the law places in his hands.  He had asked his wife for a promise of obedience, and she would not give it to him!  What was he to do next?  He could, no doubt, at least he thought so, keep the man from her presence.  He could order the servant not to admit the man, and the servant would, doubtless, obey him.  But to what a condition would he then have been brought!  Would not the world then be over for him over for him as the husband of a wife whom he could not love unless he respected her?  Better that there should be no such world, than call in the aid of a servant to guard the conduct of his wife!