morning," he said, when he went home for five minutes before
taking his seat in the House for the night. "He's to be here on
Wednesday."

"Oh, very well. There will be six, then." She said no more. It
was clear that the dinner, and that only, was on her mind. He had
told her to be careful about his dinners, and therefore could not
complain. But, nevertheless, he was almost vexed. Don't let any
wife think that she will satisfy her husband by perfect obedience.
Overmuch virtue in one's neighbours is never satisfactory to us
sinners.

But there were moments in which Lady Harcourt could think of her
present life, when no eye was by to watch her--no master there to
wonder at her perfections. Moments! nay, but there were hours, and
hours, and hours. There were crowds of hours; slow, dull, lingering
hours, in which she had no choice but to think of it. A woman may
see to her husband's dinners and her own toilet, and yet have too
much time for thinking. It would almost have been a comfort to Lady
Harcourt if Sir Henry could have had a dinner-party every day.

How should she bear herself; what should she say; how should she look
when George Bertram came there as a guest to her house? How could he
be so cruel, so heartless, so inhuman as to come there? Her path was
difficult enough for her poor weary feet. He must know that--should,
at any rate, have known it. How could he be so cruel as to add this
great stumbling-block to her other perils?

The Wednesday came, and at half-past seven she was in her
drawing-room as beautiful and as dignified as ever. She had a
peculiar place of her own in the corner of a peculiar sofa, and there
she lived. It was her goddess' shrine, and her worshippers came and
did reverence before her. None came and sat beside her. Hers was not
that gentle fascination which entices men, and women too, to a near
proximity. Her bow was very gracious, and said much; but "noli me
tangere" was part of its eloquence. And so Baron Brawl found, when on
entering her drawing-room he told her that the fame of her charms had
reached his ears, and that he was delighted to have an opportunity of
making her acquaintance.

Mr. and Mrs. Stistick were the next comers. Mrs. Stistick sat herself
down on an opposite sofa, and seemed to think that she did her duty
to society by sitting there. And so she did. Only permit her so to
sit, and there was no further labour in entertaining Mrs. Stistick.
She was a large, heavy woman