"I am afraid I did not bless her when I saw her standing at her gate! I had half a mind to ask her whether another time would not do as well, but she looked so eager to hear about her husband--you know I have been seeing him at St.Thomas--such a wistful little face--and I knew that she could not keep me more than ten minutes; and, altogether when I thought of her loneliness and my own luck--" He breaks off.
"Are you so sure she _is_ lonely ?" I say, with an innocent air of asking for information, and still working hard at the button; "are people always lonely when their husbands are away ?" He looks at me strangely for a moment; then, "Of course she is lonely, poor little thing!" he says, warmly; "how could she help it ?" A slight pause.
"_Most_ men," say I, jealously, "would not have thought it a hardship to walk up and down between the laurustinus with Mrs.Zephine, I can tell you!" "Would not they ?" he answers, indifferently.

"I dare say not! she always _was_ a good little thing!" "Excellent!" reply I, with a nasty dryness, "bland, passionate, and deeply religious!" Again he looks at me in surprise--a surprise which, after a moment's reflection, melts and brightens into an expression of pleasure.
"Did you care so much about my coming that ten minutes seemed to make a difference ?" he asks, in an eager voice.

"Is it possible that you were _in a hurry_ for me ?" Why cannot I speak truth, and say yes?
Why does an objectlessly lying devil make its inopportune entry into me?
Through some misplaced and crooked false shame I answer, "Not at all! not at all! of course a few minutes one way or the other could not make much difference; I was only puzzled to know what had become of you ?" He looks a shade disappointed, and for a moment we are both silent.

We have sat down side by side on the sofa.

Vick is standing on her hinder legs, with her forepaws rested on Roger's knee.