Both Emerson and his wife came up from this experience changed in

themselves and toward each other. A few days had matured them beyond

what might have been looked for in as many years. Life suddenly put

on more sober hues, and the future laid off its smiles and

beckonings onward to greener fields and mountain-heights of

felicity. There was a certain air of manly self-confidence, a

firmer, more deliberate way of expressing himself on all subjects,

and an evidence of mental clearness and strength, which gave to

Irene the impression of power and superiority not wholly agreeable

to her self-love, yet awakening emotions of pride in her husband

when she contrasted him with other men. As a man among men, he was,

as he had ever been, her beau ideal; but as a husband, she felt a

daily increasing spirit of resistance and antagonism, and it

required constant watchfulness over herself to prevent this feeling

from exhibiting itself in act.

On the part of Emerson, the more he thought about this subject of

the husband's relative duties and prerogatives--thought as a man and

as a lawyer--the more strongly did he feel about it, and the more

tenacious of his assumed rights did he become. Matters which seemed

in the beginning of such light importance as scarcely to attract his

attention, now loomed up before him as things of moment. Thus, if he

spoke of their doing some particular thing in a certain way, and

Irene suggested a different way, instead of yielding to her view, he

would insist upon his own. If she tried to show him a reason why her

way was best, he would give no weight to her argument or

representation. On the other hand, it is but just to say that he

rarely opposed her independent suggestions or interfered with her

freedom; and if she had been as considerate toward him, the danger

of trouble would have been lessened.

It is the little foxes that spoil the tender grapes, and so it is

the little reactions of two spirits against each other that spoil

the tender blossoms of love and destroy the promised vintage.

Steadily, day by day, and week by week, were these light reactions

marring the happiness of our undisciplined young friends, and

destroying in them germ after germ, and bud after bud, which, if

left to growth and development, would have brought forth ripe,

luscious fruit in the later summer of their lives. Trifles, light as

air were noticed, and their importance magnified. Words, looks,

actions, insignificant in themselves, were made to represent states

of will or antagonism which really had no existence.

Unhappily for their peace, Irene had a brooding disposition. She

held in her memory utterances and actions forgotten by her husband,

and, by dwelling upon, magnified and gave them an importance to

which they were not entitled. Still more unhappily for their peace,

Irene met about this time, and became attached to, a lady of fine

intellectual attainments and fascinating manners, who was an

extremist in opinion on the subject of sexual equality. She was

married, but to a man greatly her inferior, though possessing some

literary talent, which he managed to turn to better account than she

did her finer powers. He had been attracted by her brilliant

qualities, and in approaching her scorched his wings, and ever after

lay at her feet. She had no very high respect for him, but found a

husband on many accounts a convenient thing, and so held on to the

appendage. If he had been man enough to remain silent on the themes

she was so fond of discussing on all occasions, people of common

sense and common perception would have respected him for what he was

worth. But he gloried in his bondage, and rattled his chains as

gleefully as if he were discoursing sweet music. What she announced

oracularly, he attempted to demonstrate by bald and feeble

arguments. He was the false understanding to her perverted will.




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