ain that his serenity returned with each succeeding week, till by
this time, when several months had passed, he had thrown off his anxiety
altogether. He remained perhaps a little more constantly vigilant than
before--even, for instance, when coming home from church; but it seemed
now he had rather the alertness of the coastguardsman than the tension
of the sailor when the decks are cleared for action.

It is impossible to imagine a more ideal scene of domestic felicity than
that presented by Andrew and his spouse this evening. The room had been
redecorated and partially refurnished by its new mistress. As she never
expressed any opinion without quoting a competent authority, her husband
at once took into respectful consideration her suggestion that
fashionable people no longer dangled a cut-glass chandelier from their
ceiling, and always had colored tiles in their hearths. When she further
suggested that it should be her privilege to effect these and other
improvements out of the dowry she was bringing him, he passed from
consideration to consent. So that the fortunate couple were now mounted
in a setting worthy of their price.

Sitting at a Sheraton table in a semi-evening toilet that had cost her
forty guineas, writing the names of some twenty of their most eminent
fellow citizens in the spaces on the invitation cards, Catherine
impressed her husband favorably--entirely favorably. A very satisfactory
mate indeed he considered her. One could not imagine her pale eyes
winking, or a saucy smile on her thin lips, or anything but the plainest
common sense coming out of them. Yes, she was very satisfactory. It is
true that he had once, in a burst of confidence, confided to one of his
friends that she was "Awful skinny," but it is wonderful how far forty
guineas will go towards modifying that defect. In short, she was--well,
satisfactory. When one has secured the right adjective, why change it?

Andrew's complacency was completed by the presence of his aunt. He still
kept her with him as a kind of perpetual testimonial to his solid worth.
Her mere presence proved he was a kind and hospitable nephew; and on the
least provocation she would enlarge upon his virtues in a way that was
most pleasant for a visitor to hear. At other times she kept discreetly
in the background, just as she had all her life. There was also this
further advantage: that her legacy was much more satisfactorily employed
in defraying (at her own desire,