"That was a strange question to be put by his darling Jane."

"Indeed! I considered it a very natural and necessary one: he had

talked of his future wife dying with him. What did he mean by such

a pagan idea? I had no intention of dying with him--he might depend

on that."

"Oh, all he longed, all he prayed for, was that I might live with

him! Death was not for such as I."

"Indeed it was: I had as good a right to die when my time came as

he had: but I should bide that time, and not be hurried away in a

suttee."

"Would I forgive him for the selfish idea, and prove my pardon by a

reconciling kiss?"

"No: I would rather be excused."

Here I heard myself apostrophised as a "hard little thing;" and it

was added, "any other woman would have been melted to marrow at

hearing such stanzas crooned in her praise."

I assured him I was naturally hard--very flinty, and that he would

often find me so; and that, moreover, I was determined to show him

divers rugged points in my character before the ensuing four weeks

elapsed: he should know fully what sort of a bargain he had made,

while there was yet time to rescind it.

"Would I be quiet and talk rationally?"

"I would be quiet if he liked, and as to talking rationally, I

flattered myself I was doing that now."

He fretted, pished, and pshawed. "Very good," I thought; "you may

fume and fidget as you please: but this is the best plan to pursue

with you, I am certain. I like you more than I can say; but I'll

not sink into a bathos of sentiment: and with this needle of

repartee I'll keep you from the edge of the gulf too; and, moreover,

maintain by its pungent aid that distance between you and myself

most conducive to our real mutual advantage."

From less to more, I worked him up to considerable irritation; then,

after he had retired, in dudgeon, quite to the other end of the

room, I got up, and saying, "I wish you good-night, sir," in my

natural and wonted respectful manner, I slipped out by the side-door

and got away.

The system thus entered on, I pursued during the whole season of

probation; and with the best success. He was kept, to be sure,

rather cross and crusty; but on the whole I could see he was

excellently entertained, and that a lamb-like submission and turtle-

dove sensibility, while fostering his despotism more, would have

pleased his judgment, satisfied his common-sense, and even suited

his taste less.




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