r affairs by a series of little secrets. This is a
temperament which usually rests on a mixture of affection and want of
courage. We cannot bear to grieve those whom we love, and we shrink
from calling down their anger on ourselves, or even from risking their
disapprobation of our conduct, past or proposed. Now, it had been for
some years the dearest wish of the Countess's heart that her Margaret
should marry Richard de Clare. But she never whispered her desire to
any one,--least of all to her husband, with whom, humanly speaking, it
lay mainly to promote or defeat it. And now, when Margaret's blushing
confession was whispered to her, the Countess privately congratulated
herself on her excellent management, and thought how much better it was
to pull unseen strings than to blaze one's wishes abroad.

"And, Lady, will you of your grace plead for us with my Lord and
father?" said Margaret in a coaxing tone at last.

"Oh, leave it all to me," replied her mother. "I will manage him into
it. Never tell a man anything, my dove, if thou wouldst have him do it.
Men are such obstinate, perverse creatures, that as often as not they
will just go the other way out of sheer wilfulness. Thou must always
contrive to manage them into it."

Margaret, who had inherited her father's honesty with her mother's
amiability, was rather puzzled by this counsel.

"But how do you manage them?" said she.

"There is an art in that, my dear. It takes brains. Different men
require very different kinds of management. Now thy father is one who
will generally consent to a thing when it is done, though he would not
if it were suggested to him at first. He rather likes his own way;
still, he is very good when he is well managed,"--for instance after
instance came floating back to the wife's mind, in which he had against
his own judgment given way to her. "So that is the way to manage him.
Now our Lord King Henry requires entirely different handling."

That was true enough. While Earl Hubert always had a will of his own,
and knew what it was (though he did not always get it), King Henry had
no will, and never knew what it was until somebody else told him.

"I am afraid, Lady, I don't understand the management of men," said
Margaret, with a little laugh and blush.

"Thou wilt learn in time, my dear. Thou art rather too fond of saying
all thou meanest. That is not wise--for a woman. Of course a man ought
to tell his wife every thing.