Bellamy?"

"Oh! certainly yes, if you like; but, butter or not, you will melt if
you lose your temper so."

"I have not lost my temper, madam; I am perfectly cool," he replied,
positively gasping with fury. Here his eye fell upon the necklace.
"What necklace is that? who gave you that necklace? I demand to know."

"You _demand_ to know! Be careful what you say, please. Mr. George
Caresfoot gave me the necklace. It cost a thousand pounds. Are you
satisfied?"

"No, I am not satisfied; I will not have that cursed George Caresfoot
continually here. I will send him back his necklace. I will assert my
rights as an Englishman and a spouse, I will----"

"You will sit down and listen to me."

The tone of the voice checked his absurd linguistic and physical
capers, and caused him to look at his wife. She was standing and
pointing to a chair. Her face was calm and immovable, only her eyes
appeared to expand and contract with startling rapidity. One glance
was enough for Bellamy. He felt frightened, and sat down in the
indicated chair.

"That's right," she said, pleasantly; "now we can have a cosy chat.
John, you are a lawyer, and therefore, I suppose, more or less a man
of the world. Now, _as_ a lawyer and a man of the world, I ask you to
look at me and then at yourself, and say if you think it likely or