’It has been so all over the world, my dear.  If like to like is to be true anywhere, it should be true in marriage.’

’Yes but with a difference.  He and I are like to like.  We come of the same race, we speak the same language, we worship the same God, we have the same ideas of culture and of pleasures.  The difference is one that is not patent to the eye or to the ear.  It is a difference of accidental incident, not of nature or of acquirement.’

’I guess you would find, Caroline, that a jury of English matrons sworn to try you fairly, would not find you to be entitled to come among them as one of themselves.’

‘And how will that affect him?’

’Less powerfully than many others, because he is not impassioned.  He is, perhaps, lethargic.’

‘No, Wally, he is not lethargic.’

’If you ask me I must speak.  It would harass some men almost to death; it will not do so with him.  He would probably find his happiness best in leaving his old country and coming among your people.’

The idea of Mr Glascock, the future Lord Peterborough, leaving England, abandoning Monkhams, deserting his duty in the House of Lords, and going away to live in an American town, in order that he might escape the miseries which his wife had brought upon him in his own country, was more than Caroline could bear.  She knew that, at any rate, it would not come to that.  The lord of Monkhams would live at Monkhams, though the heavens should fall in regard to domestic comforts.  It was clear to Caroline that Wallachia Petrie had in truth never brought home to her own imagination the position of an English peer.  ’I don’t think you understand the people at all,’ she said angrily.

’You think that you can understand them better because you are engaged to this man!’ said Miss Petrie, with well-pronounced irony.  ’You have found generally that when the sun shines in your eyes your sight is improved by it!  You think that the love-talk of a few weeks gives clearer instruction than the laborious reading of many volumes and thoughtful converse with thinking persons!  I hope that you may find it so, Caroline.’  So saying Wallachia Petrie walked off in great dudgeon.

Miss Petrie, not having learned from her many volumes and her much converse with thoughtful persons to read human nature aright, was convinced by this conversation that her friend Caroline was blind to all results, and was determined to go on with this dangerous marriage, having the rays of that sun of Monkhams so full upon her eyes that she could not see at all.  She was specially indignant at finding that her own words had no effect.  But, unfortunately, her words had had much effect; and Caroline, though she had contested her points, had done so only with the intention of producing her Mentor’s admonitions.  Of course it was out of the question that Mr Glascock should go and live in Providence, Rhode Island, from which thriving town Caroline Spalding had come; but,