sending her
away; for certainly his wife, if it were but to oppose him, would
refuse to believe a word against her cousin.

For the present, therefore, the thing seemed to blow over. Mr. Redmain,
who had pleasure in behaving handsomely so far as money was concerned,
bought his wife the best sapphire he could find, and, for once, really
pleased her.

But Sepia knew that Mr. Redmain had now to himself justified his
dislike of her; and, as he said nothing, she was the more certain he
meant something. She lived, therefore, in constant dread of his sudden
vengeance, against which she could take no precaution, for she had not
even a conjecture as to what form it might assume. From that hour she
was never at peace in his presence, and hardly out of it; from every
possible _tete-a-tete_ with him she fled as from a judgment.

Nor was it a small addition to her misery that she imagined Mary
cognizant of Mr. Redmain's opinion and intention with regard to her,
and holding the worst possible opinion of her. For, whatever had passed
first between the Count and Mr. Redmain, she did not doubt Mary had
heard, and was prepared to bring against her when the determined moment
should arrive. How much the Count might or might not have said, she
could not tell; but, seeing their common enemy had permitted him to
escape, she more than dreaded he had sold her secret for his own
impunity, and had laid upon her a burden of lies as well.

CHAPTER XLVI.

REPARATION.

With all Mr. Redmain's faults, there was a certain love of justice in
the man; only, as is the case with most of us, it had ten times the
reference to the action of other people that it had to his own: I mean,
he made far greater demand for justice upon other people than upon
himself; and was much more indignant at any shortcoming of theirs which
crossed any desire or purpose of his than ho was anxious in his own
person to fulfill justice when that fulfillment in its turn would cross
any wish he cherished. Badly as he had himself behaved to Mary, he was
now furious with his wife for having treated her so heartlessly that
she could not return to her service; for he began to think she might be
one to depend upon, and to desire her alliance in the matter of ousting
Sepia from the confidence of his wife.

However indifferent a woman may be to the opinion of her husband, he
can nevertheless in general manage to make her uncomfortable enough if
he chooses; and Mr. Redmain di