As for Mary, she cherished too deeply the remembrance of her father's unbending severity toward his children--in fact his iron hand had well nigh crushed affection out of her heart--to feel much inclined to use any influence with her husband.

And so the separation, unpleasant and often painful to both parties, continued.
To Mrs.Howland it was a source of constant affliction.

Much had she done toward affecting a reconciliation; but the materials upon which she tried to impress something of her own gentle and forgiving spirit were of too hard a nature.
On the afternoon of the day on which Andrew returned so unexpectedly, almost like one rising from the dead, Mrs.Howland was alone, Martha having gone out to visit a friend.

She was sitting in her chamber thinking of the long absent one--she had thought of him a great deal of late--when she heard the street door open and shut, and then there came the sound of a man's feet along the passage.

She bent her head and listened.