wife,' said Guy. 'For Venice, then. I'll ring for Arnaud.
You will come with us, won't you, Philip?'

'No, I thank you; I always intended to see the Valtelline, and an
epidemic among the peasantry does not seem to me to be sufficient to
deter.'

'O Philip, you surely will not?' said Amy.

'My mind is made up, Amy, thank you.'

'I wish you would be persuaded,' said Guy. 'I should like particularly
to have you to lionize us there; and I don't fancy your running into
danger.'

The argument lasted long. Philip by no means approved of Venice,
especially after the long loitering at Munich, thinking that in both
places there was danger of Guy's being led into mischief by his musical
connections. Therefore he did his best, for Amabel's sake, to turn them
from their purpose, persuaded in his own mind that the fever was a
mere bugbear, raised up by Arnaud; and, perhaps, in his full health
and strength, almost regarding illness itself as a foible, far more
the dread of it. He argued, therefore, in his most provoking strain,
becoming more vexatious as the former annoyance was revived at
finding the impossibility of making Guy swerve from his purpose, while
additional mists of suspicion arose before him, making him imagine that
the whole objection was caused by Guy's dislike to submit to him, and
a fit of impatience of which Amy was the victim; nay, that his cousin
wanted to escape from his surveillance, and follow the beat of his
inclinations; and the whole heap of prejudices and half-refuted
accusations resumed their full ascendancy. Never had his manner been
more vexatious, though without departing from the coolness which always
characterized it; but all the time, Guy, while firm and unmoved in
purpose, kept his temper perfectly, and apparently without effort. Even
Amabel glowed with indignation, at the assumption with which he was
striving to put her husband down, though she rejoiced to see its entire
failure: for some sensible argument, or some gay, lively, good-humoured
reply, was the utmost he could elicit. Guy did not seem to be in the
least irritated or ruffled by the very behaviour which used to cause him
so many struggles. Having once seriously said that he did not think it
right to run into danger, without adequate cause, he held his position
with so much ease, that he could afford to be playful, and laugh at his
own dread of infection, his changeableness, and credulity. Never had
temper been more entirely subdued;