And, George, don't suppose that because I say that I will not run away
from Captain De Baron, all this will go for nothing with me. I will not
avoid Captain De Baron, but I will be careful to give no cause for
ill-natured words." Then she put her arm round his neck, and kissed
him, and had conquered him.

When he went away from the house he had another great trouble before
him. He had not seen Mrs. Houghton as yet, since his wife had found
that love-letter; but she had written to him often. She had sent notes
to his club almost wild with love and anger,--with that affectation of
love and anger which some women know how to assume, and which so few
men know how to withstand. It was not taken to be quite real, even by
Lord George; and yet he could not withstand it. Mrs. Houghton, who
understood the world thoroughly, had become quite convinced that Lady
George had quarrelled with her. The two women had been very intimate
ever since Lady George had been in town, and now for the last few days
they had not seen each other. Mrs. Houghton had called twice, and had
been refused. Then she had written, and had received no answer. She
knew then that Mary had discovered something, and, of course,
attributed her lover's absence to the wife's influence. But it did not
occur to her that she should, on this account, give up her intercourse
with Lord George. Scenes, quarrels, reconciliations, troubles,
recriminations, jealousies, resolves, petty triumphs, and the general
upsetting of the happiness of other people,--these were to her the
sweets of what she called a passion. To give it all up because her
lover's wife had found her out, and because her lover was in trouble,
would be to abandon her love just when it was producing the desired
fruit. She wrote short letters and long letters, angry letters, and
most affectionate letters to Lord George at his club, entreating him to
come to her, and almost driving him out of his wits. He had, from the
first, determined that he would go to her. He had even received his
wife's sanction for doing so; but, knowing how difficult it would be to
conduct such an interview, had, hitherto, put off the evil hour. But
now a day and an hour had been fixed, and the day and the hour had
come. The hour had very nearly come. When he left his house there was
still time for him to sit for awhile at his club, and think what he
would say to this woman.

He wished to do what was right. There was not a man in Englan