n whose sole claim upon her was his gratification at her
expense. She had been instructed that marriage was God's ordinance, and
so forth; and was _per se_ reciprocal. She had sacrificed herself to
him; _therefore_ he had sacrificed himself to her. A halo of mysterious
sanctity hung about her obligations to him, and seemed to forbid too
close an analysis of their nature. An old conjugation of the indicative
mood, present tense, backed by the third person singular's capital,
floated justifications from Holy Writ of the worst stereotyped iniquity
of civilisation.

CHAPTER XXII

HOW GWEN STAYED AWAY FROM CHURCH, BUT SENT HER LOVE TO LADY
MILLICENT ANSTIE-DUNCOMBE. HOW TOM MIGHT COME AGAIN AT FIVE, AND
GAVE MRS. LAMPREY A LIFT. NOT EXACTLY DELIRIUM. THE BLACK
WITCH-DOCTOR. WERE DAVE AND DOLLY ALL TRUE? WHAT GWEN HAD TO
PRETEND. DAVE'S OTHER LETTER. STARING FACTS IN THE FACE. GWEN'S
COMPARISON OF THE TWINS. MIGHT GWEN SEE THE AUSTRALIAN LETTER? OLD
KETURAH'S HUSBAND THE SEXTON. HOW GRANNY MARRABLE AND RUTH WENT TO
CHURCH, BY REQUEST, AND HOW RUTH SAW THE LIKENESS. HOW OLD MAISIE
COULD NOT BE EVEN WITH UNCLE NICHOLAS. CHAOS. HOW OLD MRS. PICTURE
RECEIVED DAVE'S INVITATION TO TEA. JONES'S BULL

"You'll have to attend divine service without your daughter, mamma,"
said Gwen, speaking through the door of her mother's apartment, _en
passant_. It was a compliance with a rule of domestic courtesy which was
always observed by this singular couple. A sort of affection seemed to
maintain itself between them as a legitimate basis for dissension, a
luxury which they could not otherwise have enjoyed. "I'm called away to
my old lady."

"Is she ill?"

"Well--Dr. Nash has written to say that I need not be frightened."

"But then--why go? If he says you need not be frightened?"

"That's exactly why I'm going. As if I didn't understand doctors!"

"I knew you wouldn't come to Church. Am I to give your love to Lady
Millicent Anstie-Duncombe if I see her, or not? She's sure to ask after
you."

"Some of it. Not too much. Give the rest to Dr. Tuxford Somers." The
Countess's suggestion of entire despair at this daughter was almost
imperceptible, but entirely conclusive.

"Well--he's married! Why shouldn't I?"

"As you please, my dear!"

The Countess appeared to decline further discussion. She said:--"Don't
be very late--you are coming back to lunch, of course?"

"If I can. It