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After the Storm

Page 22

"Say on, then." Emerson spoke with equal coldness of manner.

"I did not wish to ride out, and said so in the beginning. That

ought to have been enough for you. But no--my wishes were nothing;

your will must be law."

"And that is all! the head and front of my offending!" said Emerson,

in a tone of surprise.

"It isn't so much the thing itself that I object to, as the spirit

in which it is done," said Irene.

"A spirit of overbearing self-will!' said Emerson.

"Yes, if you choose. That is what my soul revolts against. I gave

you my heart and my hand--my love and my confidence--not my freedom.

The last is a part of my being, and I will maintain it while I have

life."

"Perverse girl! What insane spirit has got possession of your mind?"

exclaimed Emerson, chafed beyond endurance.

"Say on," retorted Irene; "I am prepared for this. I have seen, from

the hour of our marriage, that a time of strife would come; that

your will would seek to make itself ruler, and that I would not

submit. I did not expect the issue to come so soon. I trusted in

your love to spare me, at least, until I could be bidden from

general observation when I turned myself upon you and said, Thus far

thou mayest go, but no farther. But, come the struggle early or

late--now or in twenty years--I am prepared."

There came at this moment a rap at their door. Mr. Emerson opened

it.

"Carriage is waiting," said a servant.

"Say that we will be down in a few minutes."

The door closed.

"Come, Irene," said Mr. Emerson.

"You spoke very confidently to the servant, and said we would be

down in a few minutes."

"There, there, Irene! Let this folly die; it has lived long enough.

Come! Make yourself ready with all speed--our party is delayed by

this prolonged absence."

"You think me trifling, and treat me as if I were a captious child,"

said Irene, with chilling calmness; "but I am neither."

"Then you will not go?"

"I will not go." She said the words slowly and deliberately, and as

she spoke looked her husband steadily in the face. She was in

earnest, and he felt that further remonstrance would be in vain.

"You will repent of this," he replied, with enough of menace in his

voice to convey to her mind a great deal more than was in his

thoughts. And he turned from her and left the room. Going down

stairs, he found the riding-party waiting for their appearance.

"Where is Irene?" was asked by one and another, on seeing him alone.

"She does not care to ride out this afternoon, and so I have excused

her," he replied. Miss Carman looked at him narrowly, and saw that

there was a shade of trouble on his countenance, which he could not

wholly conceal. She would have remained behind with Irene, but that

would have disappointed the friend who was to be her companion in

the drive.

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