Hitherto she certainly had not tried.

Hitherto she had been ill-tempered, petulant, and almost rude.

He would not see her himself this evening, but he would send a message to her by his wife.

'Tell her from me that I shall expect to see smiles on her face to-morrow,' said Michel Voss.

And as he spoke there certainly were no smiles on his own.
'I suppose she is flurried,' said Madame Voss.
'Ah, flurried! That may do for to-night.