to make her
his wife. This he did. But there were many reasons why the marriage was
not likely to prove a happy one. It did not, and both parties recognised
that the wisest thing to do was to separate without any unnecessary fuss.
They did so. And no doubt their action proved to be for the happiness of
each of them.

Posh was walking with FitzGerald on one occasion down Quay Lane,
Woodbridge, when Mrs. FitzGerald (who was living at Gorleston at the
time, but had gone over to Woodbridge, possibly to see some old friends)
appeared walking towards them. FitzGerald removed the glove he was
wearing on his right hand. Mrs. FitzGerald removed the glove she was
wearing on her right hand. There was a momentary hesitation as the
husband passed the wife. But Posh thinks that the two hands did not
meet. FitzGerald bowed with all his courtesy, and passed on.

Posh says that Mrs. FitzGerald was a "fine figure of a woman." And I
believe that she was, indeed, so fine a figure of a woman that the length
of her stride excited the admiration of the local schoolboys when she was
still Miss Barton. She was older than FitzGerald when he married her,
and both were nearer fifty than forty.

In this context I give the following letter from FitzGerald to Posh,
though I have been unable to fix its date with any certainty.

"WOODBRIDGE, _Tuesday_.

"DEAR POSH,

"I find that I may very likely have to go to London on Thursday--not
to be home till Friday perhaps. If I do this it will be scarce worth
while your coming over here to-morrow, so far as _I_ am concerned;
though you will perhaps see Newson.

"Poor young Smith of the Sportsman was brought home ill last week, and
died of the very worst Small Pox in a Day or two. There have been
_three_ Deaths from it here: all from London. As young Smith died in
_Quay Lane_ leading down to the Boat Inn, I should not like you to be
about there with any chance of Danger, though I have been up and down
several times myself.

"Ever yours,
"E. FG."

"The Sportsman" was a public-house at Woodbridge, and it is probable that
FitzGerald had helped "poor young Smith" substantially. His anxiety lest
Posh should contract smallpox, and his indifference as to himself, are
admirably illustrative of the man's unselfishness.

But now that the partnership was at an end he began to frequent Lowestoft
less. During 1871 he sold the _Scandal_, and on September