efore he had made
up his mind how he would continue his address. He was quite sure that
he was right. Had he not desired her not to waltz? At that moment he
quite forgot the casual permission he had barely given at Lady
Brabazon's, and which had been intended to apply to that night only.
Had he not specially warned her against this Captain De Baron, and told
her that his name and hers were suffering from her intimacy with the
man? And then, had she not deceived him directly by naming another
person as her partner in that odious dance? The very fact that she had
so deceived him was proof to him that she had known that she ought not
to dance with Captain De Baron, and that she had a vicious pleasure in
doing so which she had been determined to gratify even in opposition to
his express orders. As he stalked up and down the room in his wrath, he
forgot as much as he remembered. It had been represented to him that
this odious romp had been no more than a minuet; but he did not bear
in mind that his wife had been no party to that misrepresentation. And
he forgot, too, that he himself had been present as a spectator at her
express request. And when his wrath was at the fullest he almost forgot
those letters from Adelaide Houghton! But he did not forget that all
Mrs. Montacute Jones' world had seen him as in his offended marital
majesty he took his wife out from amidst the crowd, declaring his
indignation and his jealousy to all who were there assembled. He might
have been wrong there. As he thought of it all he confessed to himself
as much as that. But the injury done had been done to himself rather
than to her. Of course they must leave London now, and leave it for
ever. She must go with him whither he might choose to take her. Perhaps
Manor Cross might serve for their lives' seclusion, as the Marquis
would not live there. But Manor Cross was near the deanery, and he must
sever his wife from her father. He was now very hostile to the Dean,
who had looked on and seen his abasement, and had smiled. But, through
it all, there never came to him for a moment any idea of a permanent
quarrel with his wife. It might, he thought, be long before there was
permanent comfort between them. Obedience, absolute obedience, must
come before that could be reached. But of the bond which bound them
together he was far too sensible to dream of separation. Nor, in his
heart, did he think her guilty of anything but foolish, headstrong
indiscretion,-