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ng out； and especially in her visits to her tailor。 Mamma has proposed to herin view of your absenceto come and stay with us； and she does n't seem afraid of the idea。 I told her husband to…day that we had asked her； and that we hoped he had no objection。 'None whatever； but she won't come。' 'On the contrary； she says she will。' 'She will pretend to； up to the last minute； and then she will find a pretext for backing out。' 'Decidedly； you think very ill of her；' I said。 'She hates me；' he answered； looking at me strangely。 'You say that of every one；' I said。 'Yesterday you said it of Bernard。' 'Ah； for him there would be more reason！' he exclaimed。 'I won't attempt to answer for Bernard；' I went on； 'but I will answer for Blanche。 Your idea of her hating you is a miserable delusion。 She cares for you more than for any one in the world。 You only misunderstand each other； and with a little good will on both sides you can easily get out of your tangle。' But he would n't listen to me； he stopped me short。 I saw I should excite him if I insisted； so I dropped the subject。 But it is not for long； he shall listen to me。〃
Later she wrote that Blanche had in fact 〃backed out；〃 and would not come to stay with them； having given as an excuse that she was perpetually trying on dresses； and that at Mrs。 Vivian's she should be at an inconvenient distance from the temple of these sacred rites； and the high priest who conducted the worship。 〃But we see her every day；〃 said Angela； 〃and mamma is constantly with her。 She likes mamma better than me。 Mamma listens to her a great deal and talks to her a little I can't do either when we are alone。 I don't know what she says I mean what mamma says； what Blanche says I know as well as if I heard it。 We see nothing of Captain Lovelock； and mamma tells me she has not spoken of him for two days。 She thinks this is a better symptom； but I am not so sure。 Poor Mr。 Wright treats it as a great triumph that Blanche should behave as he foretold。 He is welcome to the comfort he can get out of this； for he certainly gets none from anything else。 The society of your correspondent is not that balm to his spirit which he appeared to expect； and this in spite of the fact that I have been as gentle and kind with him as I know how to be。 He is very silenthe sometimes sits for ten minutes without speaking； I assure you it is n't amusing。 Sometimes he looks at me as if he were going to break out with that crazy idea to which he treated me the other day。 But he says nothing； and then I see that he is not thinking of me he is simply thinking of Blanche。 The more he thinks of her the better。〃
〃My dear Bernard；〃 she began on another occasion； 〃I hope you are not dying of ennui； etc。 Over here things are going so…so。 He asked me yesterday to go with him to the Louvre； and we walked about among the pictures for half an hour。 Mamma thinks it a very strange sort of thing for me to be doing； and though she delights； of all things； in a good cause； she is not sure that this cause is good enough to justify the means。 I admit that the means are very singular； and； as far as the Louvre is concerned； they were not successful。 We sat and looked for a quarter of an hour at the great Venus who has lost her arms； and he said never a word。 I think he does n't know what to say。 Before we separated he asked me if I heard from you。 'Oh； yes；' I said； 'every day。' 'And does he speak of me？' 'Never！' I answered； and I think he looked disappointed。〃 Bernard had； in fact； in writing to Angela； scarcely mentioned his name。 〃He had not been here for two days；〃 she continued； at the end of a week； 〃but last evening； very latetoo late for a visitorhe came in。 Mamma had left the drawing…room； and I was sitting alone； I immediately saw that we had reached a crisis。 I thought at first he was going to tell me that Blanche had carried out his prediction； but I presently saw that this was not where the shoe pinched； and； besides； I knew that mamma was watching her too closely。 'How can I have ever been such a dull…souled idiot？' he broke out； as soon as he had got into the room。 'I like to hear you say that；' I said； 'because it does n't seem to me that you have been at all wise。' 'You are cleverness； kindness； tact； in the most perfect form！' he went on。 As a veracious historian I am bound to tell you that he paid me a bushel of compliments； and thanked me in the most flattering terms for my having let him bore me so for a week。 'You have not bored me；' I said； 'you have interested me。' 'Yes；' he cried； 'as a curious case of monomania。 It 's a part of your kindness to say that； but I know I have bored you to death； and the end of it all is that you despise me。 You can't help despising me； I despise myself。 I used to think that I was a man； but I have given that up； I am a poor creature！ I used to think I could take things quietly and bear them bravely。 But I can't！ If it were not for very shame I could sit here and cry to you。' 'Don't mind me；' I said； 'you know it is a part of our agreement that I was not to be critical。' 'Our agreement？' he repeated； vaguely。 'I see you have forgotten it；' I answered； 'but it does n't in the least matter； it is not of that I wish to talk to you。 All the more that it has n't done you a particle of good。 I have been extremely nice with you for a week； but you are just as unhappy now as you were at the beginning。 Indeed； I think you are rather worse。' 'Heaven forgive me； Miss Vivian； I believe I am！' he cried。 'Heaven will easily forgive you； you are on the wrong road。 To catch up with your happiness； which has been running away from you； you must take another； you must travel in the same direction as Blanche； you must not separate yourself from your wife。' At the sound of Blanche's name he jumped up and took his usual tone； he knew all about his wife； and needed no information。 But I made him sit down again； and I made him listen to me。 I made him listen for half an hour； and at the end of the time he was interested。 He had all the appearance of it； he sat gazing at me； and at last the tears came into his eyes。 I believe I had a moment of eloquence。 I don't know what I said； nor how I said it； to what point it would bear examination； nor how； if you had been there； it would seem to you； as a disinterested critic； to hang together； but I know that after a while there were tears in my own eyes。 I begged him not to give up Blanche； I assured him that she is not so foolish as she seems； that she is a very delicate little creature to handle； and that； in reality； whatever she does； she is thinking only of him。 He had been all goodness and kindness to her； I knew that； but he had not； from the first； been able to conceal from her that he regarded her chiefly as a pretty kitten。 She wished to be more than that； and she took refuge in flirting； simply to excite his jealousy and make him feel strongly about her。 He has felt strongly； and he was feeling strongly now； he was feeling passionatelythat was my whole contention。 But he had perhaps never made it plain to those rather near…sighted little mental eyes of hers； and he had let her suppose something that could n't fail to rankle in her min