y."

"How much?" asked he, from between his compressed lips.

"Oceans. I owe for millinery and things. And, Val, I'll go to Versailles
this afternoon, if you like. I want to see some of the rooms again."

"Very well," he answered.

She poured out some chocolate, took it hurriedly, and quitted the room,
leaving her husband in a disheartening reverie. That Lady Hartledon and
Maude Kirton were two very distinct persons he had discovered already;
the one had been all gentleness and childlike suavity, the other was
positive, extravagant, and self-willed; the one had made a pretence of
loving him beyond all other things in life, the other was making very
little show of loving him at all, or of concealing her indifference.
Lord Hartledon was not the only husband who has been disagreeably
astonished by a similar metamorphosis.

The following was the letter of the countess-dowager:

"Darling Maude,

"I have _secured_ the _house_ you write about and send by this _post_
for Hedges and a few of the rest from _Hartledon_. It won't accommodate
a large _establishment_ I can tell you and you'll be _disappointed_
when you come over to take _possession_ which you can do when you
_choose_. Val was a _fool_ for letting his town house in the spring but
of course we know he is _one_ and must put up with it. Whatever you
_do_, don't _consult_ him about _any earthly thing_ take _your own
way_, he never did have _much_ of a will and you must let him _have
none_ for the future. You've got a splendid _chance_ can spend _what
you like_ and rule in _society_ and he'll subside into a _tame
spaniel_.

"Maude if you are such an idiot I'll _shake_ you. Find you've made a
_dredful_ mistake?--can't bear your husband?--keep thinking always of
_Edward_? A child might write such utter _rubish_ but not you, what
does it matter whether one's husband is _liked_ or _disliked_, provided
he gives one _position_ and _wealth_? Go to Amiens and stop with _Jane_
for a _week_ and see her _plight_ and then grumble at your own, you
_are_ an idiot.

"I'm quite _glad_ about your taking this town-_house_, and shall enter
into _posession_ myself as soon as the servants are up, and await you.
_Bob's_ quite _well_ and joins to-day and of course _gives up_ his
lodgings, which have been _wretchedly confined_ and uncomfortable and
where I should have gone to but for this _move_ of yours I don't know.
Mind you bring me