girl's hand, he felt the mute
disparagement of her glance, and was conscious of the relief with which it
left him to settle on the portrait again. Ah, how unsuspicious he had been
whom they were duping! Doubtless Mildred would not have had the courage to
own the truth, doubtless she would have married him but for the scandal of
the Trial. He wrenched his knitted hands together until the joints
cracked. She would have married him, and forgotten David. He, the man of
will, and power, and patience would have possessed her, stamped himself
like a seal upon her heart and mind, given her other interests, other
hopes, other desires, children, and happiness. But for the Trial the
little germinating seed of treachery would never have grown up and borne
fruit.

Had it been treachery, after all? Far, far too grand the word. Who would
expect a modern woman to practise the obsolete virtue of Fidelity? Fool,
do you expect your miniature French bulldog or your toy-terrier to dive in
and swim out to you, and hold your drowning carcase up, should you happen
to become cramped while bathing in the sea? The little, feeble, pretty,
feather-brained thing, what can it do but whimper on the shore while you
are sinking, perhaps be consoled upon a friendly stranger's lap while your
last bubbles are taking upward flight, and your knees are drawing inwards
in the final contraction? Happy for the little creature if the kindly
stranger carry it away!

Poor, pretty, foolish Mildred, whose gentle predilections were as threads
of gossamer compared with the cable-ropes of stronger women's passions!
She had nestled into the strong protecting arm, and dried her tears for
the old master on the sleeve of the new one, whimpering a little, gently,
just like the toy-terrier bitch or the miniature bull.

And yet he had once seen a creature tinier and feebler than either of
these, a mere handful of yellow floss-silk curls, defend its insensible
master with frenzy, as the sick man lay in the deadly stupor of cerebral
congestion, from those who sought to aid. Valet and nurse and doctor were
held at bay until that snapping, foaming, raging speck of love and
devotion and fidelity had been whelmed in a travelling-rug, and borne away
to a distant room, from whence its shrill, defiant, imploring barks and
yelps could be heard night and day until, its owner being at last
conscious and out of danger, the tiny creature was set free.

Ergo, there are small things and sm