pt. It was necessary to
him that a considerable sum of money should be extracted from the
father-in-law, at any rate before the end of January, and a week or
even a day might be of importance. They had hurried on southwards
from Paris, and before the end of the first week had passed over the
Simplon, and were at a pleasant inn on the shores of Como. Everything
in their travels had been as yet delightful to Emily. This man, of
whom she knew in truth so little, had certain good gifts,--gifts of
intellect, gifts of temper, gifts of voice and manner and outward
appearance,--which had hitherto satisfied her. A husband who is also
an eager lover must be delightful to a young bride. And hitherto no
lover could have been more tender than Lopez. Every word and every
act, every look and every touch, had been loving. Had she known
the world better she might have felt, perhaps, that something was
expected where so much was given. Perhaps a rougher manner, with some
little touch of marital self-assertion, might be a safer commencement
of married life,--safer to the wife as coming from her husband.
Arthur Fletcher by this time would have asked her to bring him his
slippers, taking infinite pride in having his little behests obeyed
by so sweet a servitor. That also would have been pleasant to her had
her heart in the first instance followed his image; but now also the
idolatry of Ferdinand Lopez had been very pleasant.

But the moment for the first lesson had come. "Your father has not
written to you since you started?" he said.

"Not a line. He has not known our address. He is never very good at
letter-writing. I did write to him from Paris, and I scribbled a few
words to Everett yesterday."

"It is very odd that he should never have written to me."

"Did you expect him to write?"

"To tell you the truth, I rather did. Not that I should have dreamed
of his corresponding with me had he spoken to me on a certain
subject. But as, on that subject, he never opened his mouth to me, I
almost thought he would write."

"Do you mean about money?" she asked in a very low voice.

"Well;--yes; I do mean about money. Things hitherto have gone so very
strangely between us. Sit down, dear, till we have a real domestic
talk."

"Tell me everything," she said, as she nestled herself close to his
side.

"You know how it was at first between him and me. He objected to me
violently,--I mean openly, to my face. But he based his objection
solel