l find missus'll be too much for him. What'd he do if
she were to go away from him?"

"Do?--why live twice as jolly. It would only be the first rumpus of
the thing."

I am afraid that there was some truth in what Spooner said. It is the
first rumpus of the thing, or rather the fear of that, which keeps
together many a couple.

At one o'clock there came a timid female rap at Mr. Furnival's
chamber door, and the juvenile clerk gave admittance to Lady Mason.
Crabwitz, since the affair of that mission down at Hamworth, had
so far carried a point of his, that a junior satellite was now
permanently installed; and for the future the indignity of opening
doors, and "just stepping out" into Chancery Lane, would not await
him. Lady Mason was dressed all in black,--but this was usual
with her when she left home. To-day, however, there was about her
something blacker and more sombre than usual. The veil which she wore
was thick, and completely hid her face; and her voice, as she asked
for Mr. Furnival, was low and plaintive. But, nevertheless, she had
by no means laid aside the charm of womanhood; or it might be more
just to say that the charm of womanhood had not laid aside her. There
was that in her figure, step, and gait of going which compelled men
to turn round and look at her. We all know that she had a son some
two or three and twenty years of age, and that she had not been quite
a girl when she married. But, notwithstanding this, she was yet
young; and though she made no effort--no apparent effort--to maintain
the power and influence which beauty gives, yet she did maintain it.

He came forward and took her by the hand with all his old
affectionate regard, and, muttering some words of ordinary
salutation, led her to a chair. It may be that she muttered something
also, but if so the sound was too low to reach his ears. She sat down
where he placed her, and as she put her hand on the table near her
arm, he saw that she was trembling.

"I got your letter this morning," he said, by way of beginning the
conversation.

"Yes," she said; and then, finding that it was not possible that he
should hear her through her veil, she raised it. She was very pale,
and there was a look of painful care, almost of agony, round her
mouth. He had never seen her look so pale,--but he said to himself at
the same time that he had never seen her look so beautiful.

"And to tell you the truth, Lady Mason, I was very glad to get it.
You and I