idea you would feel it so much.'

'What do you mean? Feel it? Of course, I'm terribly distressed to find
that a wife of mine is intimate with such people--where are you going?'

'I was going to write to Hyacinth and tell her I can't go out with her
tomorrow.'

'Why can't you go out with her?'

'You said I was never to see her again.'

'Yes; but don't be in a hurry. Never be impulsive.' He waited a minute;
she stood by the door. 'On the whole, since you wish it so much, I will
permit you to go out with her this once--for the last time, of
course--so that you can find out if she really is engaged to be married
to that young ass. What a mercenary scoundrel he must be!'

'I don't think that. Anyone would admire her, and he is very well off
himself.'

'Well off! Do you consider that to his credit. So should I be well off
if I had relations that died and left me a lot of money. Don't defend
him, Edith; his conduct is simply disgraceful. What right has he to
expect to marry a beautiful girl in Hyacinth's position? Good gracious,
does he want everything?'

'I suppose--he likes her.'

'That's not particularly clever of him. So would any man. What I object