could not go to Berkeley Square now.
She thoroughly believed that he was true to her, but yet she feared the
wiles of that nasty woman. They would go to the country soon, and then
the wicked viper would not be near them.

Lord George walked across to Pall Mall, looked at an evening paper at
his club, and then walked back again. Of course it had been his object
to have a cool half hour in which to think it all over,--all that had
passed between him and his wife, and also what had passed between him
and his brother. That his wife was the dearest, sweetest woman in the
world he was quite sure. He was more than satisfied with her conduct to
him. She had exacted from him very little penitence:--had not required
to put her foot in any disagreeable way upon his neck. No doubt she
felt that his divine superiority had been vanquished, but she had
uttered no word of triumph. With all that he was content. But what was
he to do with Mrs. Houghton, as to whom he had sworn a dozen times
within the last hour that she was quite indifferent to him. He now
repeated the assertion to himself, and felt himself to be sure of the
fact. But still he was her lover. He had allowed her so to regard him,
and something must be done. She would write to him letters daily if he
did not stop it; and every such letter not shown to his wife would be a
new treason against her. This was a great trouble. And then, through it
all, those terrible words which his brother had spoken to him about
Captain De Baron rung in his ears. This afternoon had certainly
afforded no occasion to him to say a word about Captain De Baron to his
wife. When detected in his own sin he could not allude to possible
delinquencies on the other side. Nor did he think that there was any
delinquency. But Caesar said that Caesar's wife should be above
suspicion, and in that matter every man is a Caesar to himself. Lady
Susanna had spoken about this Captain, and Adelaide Houghton had said
an ill-natured word or two, and he himself had seen them walking
together. Now his brother had told him that Captain De Baron was his
wife's lover. He did not at all like Captain De Baron.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

CAPTAIN DE BARON.

Of course as the next day or two passed by, the condition of Mrs.
Houghton was discussed between Lord George and his wife. The affair
could not be passed over without further speech. "I am quite contented
with you," he said; "more than contented. But I suppose she does