luxury, though costly, would not be beyond his reach. But she had
persuaded him against the carriage, and there had come to be an
agreement that instead of the carriage there should always be an
autumn tour. 'One learns something from going about; but one learns
nothing from keeping a carriage,' Emily had said. Those had been
happy days, in which it had been intended that everything should
always be rose-coloured. Now he was meditating whether, in lieu of
that autumn tour, it would not be necessary to take his wife away
to Naples altogether, so that she might be removed from the influence
of, of, of, of--no, not even to himself would he think of Colonel
Osborne as his wife's lover. The idea was too horrible! And yet,
how dreadful was it that he should have, for any reason, to withdraw
her from the influence of any man!

Lady Milborough lived ever so far away, in Eccleston Square, but
Trevelyan did not say a single word to either of his companions
during the journey. He was cross and vexed, and was conscious that
they knew that he was cross and vexed. Mrs Trevelyan and her sister
talked to each other the whole way, but they did so in that tone
which clearly indicates that the conversation is made up, not for
any interest attached to the questions asked or the answers given,
but because it is expedient that there should not be silence. Nora
said something about Marshall and Snellgrove and tried to make believe
that she was very anxious for her sister's answer. And Emily said
something about the opera at Covent Garden, which was intended
to show that her mind was quite at ease. But both of them failed
altogether, and knew that they failed. Once or twice Trevelyan thought
that he would say a word in token, as it were, of repentance. Like
the naughty child who knew that he was naughty, he was trying to
be good. But he could not do it. The fiend was too strong within