That you should find cause of complaint in Colonel Osborne's coming here is of course a different thing." "Quite a different thing," said he.
"I cannot pretend to understand either your motives or your fears.
I do not understand them.

My own self-respect prevents me from supposing it to be possible that you have attributed an evil thought to me." "Indeed, indeed, I never have," said the husband.
"That I can assure you I regard as a matter of course," said the wife.
"But you know, Emily, the way in which the world talks." "The world! And do you regard the world, Louis ?" "Lady Milborough, I believe, spoke to yourself." "Lady Milborough! No, she did not speak to me.

She began to do so, but I was careful to silence her at once.

From you, Louis, I am bound to hear whatever you may choose to say to me; but I will not hear from any other lips a single word that may be injurious to your honour." This she said very quietly, with much dignity, and he felt that he had better not answer her.

She had given him the promise which he had demanded, and he began to fear that if he pushed the matter further she might go back even from that amount of submission.
So he kissed her again, and had the boy brought into the room, and by the time that he went to dress for dinner he was able, at any rate, to seem to be well pleased.
"Richard," he said to the servant, as soon as he was down-stairs, "when Colonel Osborne calls again, say that your mistress is--not at home." He gave the order in the most indifferent tone of voice which he could assume; but as he gave it he felt thoroughly ashamed of it.
Richard, who, with the other servants, had of course known that there had been a quarrel between his master and mistress for the last two days, no doubt understood all about it.
While they were sitting at dinner on the next day, a Saturday, there came another note from Colonel Osborne.