He Knew He Was Right | Page 5

to him. When he had endeavoured to make
her understand his wishes by certain disparaging hints which he had
thrown out as to Colonel Osborne, saying that he was a dangerous man,
one who did not show his true character, a snake in the grass, a man
without settled principles, and such like, his wife had taken up the
cudgels for her friend, and had openly declared that she did not believe
a word of the things that were alleged against him. 'But still for all that
it is true,' the husband had said. 'I have no doubt that you think so,' the
wife had replied. 'Men do believe evil of one another, very often. But
you must excuse me if I say that I think you are mistaken. I have
known Colonel Osborne much longer than you have done, Louis, and
papa has always had the highest opinion of him.' Then Mr Trevelyan
had become very angry, and had spoken those words which he could
not recall. As he walked to and fro among his books downstairs, he
almost felt that he ought to beg his wife's pardon. He knew his wife
well enough to be sure that she would not forgive him unless he did so.
He would do so, he thought, but not exactly now. A moment would
come in which it might be easier than at present. He would be able to
assure her when he went up to dress for dinner, that he had meant no
harm. They were going out to dine at the house of a lady of rank, the
Countess Dowager of Milborough, a lady standing high in the world's
esteem, of whom his wife stood a little in awe; and he calculated that
this feeling, if it did not make his task easy would yet take from it some
of its difficulty. Emily would be, not exactly cowed, by the prospect of

Lady Milborough's dinner, but perhaps a little reduced from her usual
self-assertion. He would say a word to her when he was dressing,
assuring her that he had not intended to animadvert in the slightest
degree upon her own conduct.
Luncheon was served, and the two ladies went down into the
dining-room. Mr Trevelyan did not appear. There was nothing in itself
singular in that, as he was accustomed to declare that luncheon was a
meal too much in the day, and that a man should eat nothing beyond a
biscuit between breakfast and dinner. But he would sometimes come in
and eat his biscuit standing on the hearth-rug, and drink what he would
call half a quarter of a glass of sherry. It would probably have been well
that he should have done so now; but he remained in his library behind
the dining-room, and when his wife and his sister-in-law had gone
upstairs, he became anxious to learn whether, Colonel Osborne would
come on that day, and, if so, whether he would be admitted. He had
been told that Nora Rowley was to be called for by another lady, a Mrs
Fairfax, to go out and look at pictures. His wife had declined to join
Mrs Fairfax's party, having declared that, as she was going to dine out,
she would not leave her baby all the afternoon. Louis Trevelyan,
though he strove to apply his mind to an article which he was writing
for a scientific quarterly review, could not keep himself from anxiety as
to this expected visit from Colonel Osborne. He was not in the least
jealous. He swore to himself fifty times over that any such feeling on
his part would be a monstrous injury to his wife. Nevertheless he knew
that he would be gratified if on that special day Colonel Osborne
should be informed that his wife was not at home. Whether the man
were admitted or not, he would beg his wife's pardon; but he could, he
thought, do so with more thorough efficacy and affection if she should
have shown a disposition to comply with his wishes on this day.
'Do say a word to Richard,' said Nora to her sister in a whisper as they
were going upstairs after luncheon.
'I will not,' said Mrs Trevelyan.
'May I do it?'

'Certainly not, Nora. I should feel that I were demeaning myself were I
to allow what was said to me in such a manner to have any effect upon
me.'
'I think you are so wrong, Emily. I do indeed.'
'You must allow me to be the best judge what to do in my own house,
and with my own husband.'
'Oh, yes; certainly.'
'If he gives me any command I will obey it. Or if he had expressed his
wish in any other words I would have complied. But to