t that they expected him to
do? What was it that they desired? His wife had behaved with such
indiscretion as almost to have compromised his honour; and in return
for that he was to beg her pardon, confess himself to have done
wrong, and allow her to return in triumph! That was the light in
which he regarded his own position; but he promised to himself that
let his own misery be what it might he would never so degrade him.
The only person who had been true to him was Bozzle. Let them all
look to it. If there were any further intercourse between his wife
and Colonel Osborne, he would take the matter into open court, and
put her away publicly, let Mr. Bideawhile say what he might. Bozzle
should see to that;--and as to himself, he would take himself out of
England and hide himself abroad. Bozzle should know his address, but
he would give it to no one else. Nothing on earth should make him
yield to a woman who had ill-treated him,--nothing but confession
and promise of amendment on her part. If she would acknowledge and
promise, then he would forgive all, and the events of the last four
months should never again be mentioned by him. So resolving he sat
and waited till Stanbury should return to him.

When Stanbury got back to the parsonage with the boy he had nothing
to do but to take his leave. He would fain have asked permission to
come again, could he have invented any reason for doing so. But the
child was taken from him at once by its mother, and he was left alone
with Mr. Outhouse. Nora Rowley did not even show herself, and he
hardly knew how to express sympathy and friendship for the guests at
the parsonage, without seeming to be untrue to his friend Trevelyan.
"I hope all this may come to an end soon," he said.

"I hope it may, Mr. Stanbury," said the clergyman; "but to tell you
the truth, it seems to me that Mr. Trevelyan is so unreasonable a
man, so much like a madman indeed, that I hardly know how to look
forward to any future happiness for my niece." This was spoken with
the utmost severity that Mr. Outhouse could assume.

"And yet no man loves his wife more tenderly."

"Tender love should show itself by tender conduct, Mr. Stanbury. What
has he done to his wife? He has blackened her name among all his
friends and hers, he has turned her out of his house, he has reviled
her,--and then thinks to prove how good he is by sending her money.
The only possible excuse is that he must be mad."

Stanbury went back t