ee
that wherever the mother went thither the child would go also,--Mrs.
Trevelyan had considered herself to be successful in this interview.

The idea of a residence at Nuncombe Putney had occurred first to
Trevelyan himself, and he had spoken of it to Hugh Stanbury. There
had been some difficulty in this, because he had snubbed Stanbury
grievously when his friend had attempted to do some work of gentle
interference between him and his wife; and when he began the
conversation, he took the trouble of stating, in the first instance,
that the separation was a thing fixed,--so that nothing might be
urged on that subject. "It is to be. You will understand that,"
he said; "and if you think that your mother would agree to the
arrangement, it would be satisfactory to me, and might, I think,
be made pleasant to her. Of course, your mother would be made to
understand that the only fault with which my wife is charged is that
of indomitable disobedience to my wishes."

"Incompatibility of temper," suggested Stanbury.

"You may call it that if you please;--though I must say for myself
that I do not think that I have displayed any temper to which a
woman has a right to object." Then he had gone on to explain what
he was prepared to do about money. He would pay, through Stanbury's
hands, so much for maintenance and so much for house rent, on the
understanding that the money was not to go into his wife's hands.
"I shall prefer," he said, "to make myself, on her behalf, what
disbursements may be necessary. I will take care that she receives a
proper sum quarterly through Mr. Bideawhile for her own clothes,--and
for those of our poor boy." Then Stanbury had told him of the Clock
House, and there had been an agreement made between them;--an
agreement which was then, of course, subject to the approval of
the ladies at Nuncombe Putney. When the suggestion was made to Mrs.
Trevelyan,--with a proposition that the Clock House should be taken
for one year, and that for that year, at least, her boy should remain
with her,--she assented to it. She did so with all the calmness that
she was able to assume; but, in truth, almost everything seemed to
have been gained, when she found that she was not to be separated
from her baby. "I have no objection to living in Devonshire if Mr.
Trevelyan wishes it," she said, in her most stately manner; "and
certainly no objection to living with Mr. Stanbury's mother." Then
Mr. Bideawhile explained to her that