and should take to scold her. Then she thought that if Jack De
Baron were married he would never scold his wife.

The Dean had not yet gone home, and in her discomfort she had recourse
to him. She did not intend to complain of her husband to her father.
Had any such idea occurred to her, she would have stamped it out at
once, knowing that such a course would be both unloyal and unwise. But
her father was so pleasant with her, so easy to be talked to, so easy
to be understood, whereas her husband was almost mysterious,--at any
rate, gloomy and dark. "Papa," she said, "what does George mean by
saying that I ought to be more particular than other people?"

"Does he say so?"

"Yes; and he didn't like my going with that old woman to hear the other
women. He says that I ought not to do it though anybody else might."

"I think you misunderstood him."

"No; I didn't, papa."

"Then you had better imagine that he was tired with his journey, or
that his stomach was a little out of order. Don't fret about such
things, and whatever you do, make the best of your husband."

"But how am I to know where I may go and where I mayn't? Am I to ask
him everything first?"

"Don't be a child, whatever you do. You will soon find out what pleases
him and what doesn't, and, if you manage well, what you do will please
him. Whatever his manner may be, he is soft-hearted and affectionate."

"I know that, papa."

"If he says a cross word now and again just let it go by. You should
not suppose that words always mean what they seem to mean. I knew a man
who used to tell his wife ever so often that he wished she were dead."

"Good heavens, papa!"

"Whenever he said so she always put a little magnesia into his beer,
and things went on as comfortably as possible. Never magnify things,
even to yourself. I don't suppose Lord George wants magnesia as yet,
but you will understand what I mean." She said that she did; but she
had not, in truth, quite comprehended the lesson as yet, nor could her
father as yet teach it to her in plainer language.

On that same afternoon Lord George called in Berkeley Square and saw
Mrs. Houghton. At this time the whole circle of people who were in any
way connected with the Germain family, or who, by the circumstances of
their lives were brought within the pale of the Germain influence, were
agog with the marriage of the Marquis. The newspapers had already
announced the probable return of the Marquis and the comin