did not meet again till late that evening.
She was ill, she said, and would not come down to dinner. After
dinner she wrote him a note. "Dear Robert, I think you must regret
what you said to me. If so, pray let me have a line from you to that
effect. Yours affectionately, L." When the servant handed it to him,
and he had read it, he smiled and thanked the girl who had brought
it, and said he would see her mistress just now. Anything would be
better than that the servants should know that there was a quarrel.
But every servant in the house had known all about it for the last
three hours. When the door was closed and he was alone, he sat
fingering the note, thinking deeply how he should answer it, or
whether he would answer it at all. No; he would not answer it;--not
in writing. He would give his wife no written record of his
humiliation. He had not acted wrongly. He had said nothing more than
now, upon mature consideration, he thought that the circumstances
demanded. But yet he felt that he must in some sort withdraw the
accusation which he had made. If he did not withdraw it, there was no
knowing what his wife might do. About ten in the evening he went up
to her and made his little speech. "My dear, I have come to answer
your note."

"I thought you would have written to me a line."

"I have come instead, Laura. Now, if you will listen to me for one
moment, I think everything will be made smooth."

"Of course I will listen," said Lady Laura, knowing very well that
her husband's moment would be rather tedious, and resolving that she
also would have her moment afterwards.

"I think you will acknowledge that if there be a difference of
opinion between you and me as to any question of social intercourse,
it will be better that you should consent to adopt my opinion."

"You have the law on your side."

"I am not speaking of the law."

"Well;--go on, Robert. I will not interrupt you if I can help it."

"I am not speaking of the law. I am speaking simply of convenience,
and of that which you must feel to be right. If I wish that your
intercourse with any person should be of such or such a nature it
must be best that you should comply with my wishes." He paused for
her assent, but she neither assented nor dissented. "As far as I can
understand the position of a man and wife in this country, there is
no other way in which life can be made harmonious."

"Life will not run in harmonies."

"I expect that ours shall be m