pt in the house without ever stirring out."

They breakfasted nominally at half-past nine; in truth, it was always
nearly ten, as Lady Alexandrina found it difficult to get herself out
of her room. At half-past ten punctually he left his house for his
office. He usually got home by six, and then spent the greatest part
of the hour before dinner in the ceremony of dressing. He went, at
least, into his dressing-room, after speaking a few words to his
wife: and there remained pulling things about, clipping his nails,
looking over any paper that came in his way, and killing the time. He
expected his dinner punctually at seven, and began to feel a little
cross if he were kept waiting. After dinner, he drank one glass of
wine in company with his wife, and one other by himself, during which
latter ceremony he would stare at the hot coals, and think of the
thing he had done. Then he would go upstairs, and have, first a cup
of coffee, and then a cup of tea. He would read his newspaper, open
a book or two, hide his face when he yawned, and try to make believe
that he liked it. She had no signs or words of love for him. She
never sat on his knee, or caressed him. She never showed him that any
happiness had come to her in being allowed to live close to him. They
thought that they loved each other:--each thought so; but there was
no love, no sympathy, no warmth. The very atmosphere was cold,--so
cold that no fire could remove the chill.

In what way would it have been different had Lily Dale sat opposite
to him there as his wife, instead of Lady Alexandrina? He told
himself frequently that either with one or with the other life would
have been the same; that he had made himself for a while unfit for
domestic life, and that he must cure himself of that unfitness.
But though he declared this to himself in one set of half-spoken
thoughts, he would also declare to himself in another set, that Lily
would have made the whole house bright with her brightness; that
had he brought her home to his hearth, there would have been a sun
shining on him every morning and every evening. But, nevertheless, he
strove to do his duty, and remembered that the excitement of official
life was still open to him. From eleven in the morning till five in
the afternoon he could still hold a position which made it necessary
that men should regard him with respect, and speak to him with
deference. In this respect he was better off than his wife, for she
had no