ey!" M.
scored, in my opinion.

April 2.

Long cable to-day about Wilkes case. Cannot possibly attend
to it from here. Cabled to make every effort to postpone it.
Bound to get in a mess, if they don't. R----should have been
disbarred long ago. M. spoke again of the beach at home
to-day. The second time since we were married. Sometimes I
think she has no heart, in the ordinary sense, and then
again her sweetness and kindness would win over a statue.
She cannot, of course, be judged by ordinary standards.

April 6.

Heard from Jerry to-day. Has been in England all the time,
the rascal, playing chess and learning Persian! Has promised
to run over to Paris and we are going back there. M. wants
to go on with her music lessons. Have never known her so
steady at anything. Expected to stay here indefinitely, but
must be very patient with her now. Is wonderfully well.
Wouldn't mind getting back to work, myself, but she can't
very well sail now, I suppose.

PARIS, April 11.

Perfect weather. Paris very gay. As a holiday, all very
well: as a business, what a life! Mme. M----i advises stop
lessons now for a while. M. very disappointed, but yields
finally very gracefully. How changed Jerry will find her! He
agrees to stay a fortnight at least, which delights M. And
me, too. We must have one of our old walking-trips, perhaps
try an ascension. Have got at the _Code_ again.

April 15.

Weather still holds. Jerry expected to-morrow. M. has taken
to reading. She and J. read aloud _David Copperfield_, turn
about. What good work it is, after all! Hester taught her to
read unknown to her father, who seems to have forbidden it.
It was her only disobedience, it seems. I wonder what that
woman's real name was? She learned to read from the Psalms,
but never read much. The Wilkes case going badly, I'm
afraid: no postponement. They will be able to appeal,
however.

CHAPTER XVIII

MY PEARL OF TOO GREAT PRICE

Kitchener and I were very philosophic as we crossed the Channel that
fine day in April. We had got thoroughly fitted to each other, now,