‘They will stay longer then, you know, than they could now.’

’I have no doubt when the time comes we shall all believe it to be better.’

’I suppose you think, Emily, that a little pudding today is better than much tomorrow.’

Colonel Osborne certainly had a caressing, would-be affectionate mode of talking to women, which, unless it were reciprocated and enjoyed, was likely to make itself disagreeable.  No possible words could have been more innocent than those he had now spoken; but he had turned his face down close to her face, and had almost whispered them.  And then, too, he had again called her by her Christian name.  Trevelyan had not heard the words.  He had walked on, making the distance between him and the other man greater than was necessary, anxious to show to his wife that he had no jealousy at such a meeting as this.  But his wife was determined that she would put an end to this state of things, let the cost be what it might.  She did not say a word to Colonel Osborne, but addressed herself at once to her husband.  ‘Louis,’ she said, ’will you give me your arm?  We will go back, if you please.’  Then she took her husband’s arm and turned herself and him abruptly away from their companion.

The thing was done in such a manner that it was impossible that Colonel Osborne should not perceive that he had been left in anger.  When Trevelyan and his wife had gone back a few yards, he was obliged to return for Nora.  He did so, and then rejoined his wife.

‘It was quite unnecessary, Emily,’ he said, ’that you should behave like that.’

‘Your suspicions,’ she said, ’have made it almost impossible for me to behave with propriety.’

‘You have told him everything now,’ said Trevelyan.

‘And it was requisite that he should be told,’ said his wife.  Then they walked home without interchanging another word.  When they reached their house, Emily at once went up to her own room, and Trevelyan to his.  They parted as though they had no common interest which was worthy of a moment’s conversation.  And she by her step, and gait, and every movement of her body showed to him that she was not his wife now in any sense that could bring to him a feeling of domestic happiness.  Her compliance with his command was of no use to him unless she could be brought to comply in spirit.  Unless she would be soft to him he could not be happy.  He walked about his room uneasily for half-an-hour, trying to shake off his sorrow, and then he went up to her room.  ‘Emily,’ he said, ’for God’s sake let all this pass away.’

‘What is to pass away?’

’This feeling of rancour between you and me.  What is the world to us unless we can love one another?  At any rate it will be nothing to me.’

‘Do you doubt my love?’ said she.

‘No; certainly not.’

’Nor I yours.  Without love, Louis, you and I can not be happy.  But love alone will not make us so.  There must be trust, and there must also be forbearance.  My feeling of annoyance will pass away in time; and till it does, I will shew it as little as may be possible.’