"We shall not be able to examine it carefully by night," was the

answer, as I fancied, spoken with unwonted coldness and deliberation.

"So much the better for me," he replied, with an ineffectual attempt

to laugh; "you will be less able to discern its defects."

"The same difficulty will endanger its beauties," Julia answered,

without offering to rise.

"Well, at least, you must arrange for seeing the pictures at ----'s.

They are to remain but a few days, and I would not have you miss

seeing them for the world. Suppose you say Saturday morning?"

"If nothing happens to prevent," she said; "and I will endeavor

to persuade Mr. Clifford to look at them with us."

"Oh, he is so full of his law and clients, that you will hardly

succeed."

This was spoken with evident dissatisfaction. The arrangement,

which included me, seemed unnecessary. I need not say that I was

better pleased with my wife than I had been for some time previous;

but here the juggling fiend interposed again, to suggest the painful

suspicion that she knew of my whereabouts, of my jealousy, of my

espionage; that her words were rather meant for my ears than for

those of Edgerton; or, if this were not the case, her manner to

Edgerton was simply adopted, as she had now become conscious of her

own feelings--feelings of peril--feelings which would not permit

her to trust herself. Ah! she feared herself: she had discovered

the passion of William Edgerton, and it had taught her the character

and tendency of her own. Was there ever more self-destroying

malice than was mine? I settled down upon this last conviction. My

wife's coldness was only assumed to prevent Edgerton from seeing

her weakness; and, for Edgerton himself, I now trembled with the

conviction that I should have to shed his blood.




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