He saw that to do so would only be to provoke instead of quieting his wife's ill humor.

The morning meal went by in silence, but little food passing the lips of either.

How could it, when the thermometer was ninety-four at eight o'clock in the morning, and the leaves upon the trees were as motionless as if suspended in a vacuum.

Bodies and minds were relaxed--and the one turned from food, as the other did from thought, with an instinctive aversion.
After Mr.Smith had left his home for his place of business, Mrs.
Smith went up into her chamber, and threw herself upon the bed, her head still continuing to ache with great violence.

It so happened that a week before, the chambermaid had gone away, sick, and all the duties of the household had in consequence devolved upon Rachel, herself not very well.