I who listened was astonished.

"How could you go on after this," said I, "my dear?
Why did you not return to your father's ?" "Because I had not a conception he was in earnest; because I reckoned it a bad jest, and told him so,--that my opinions of him were very different from his of himself, otherwise he would not find me by his side.

He laughed it over when he saw me appear hurt: and I forgot what had passed, till forced to remember it.

I believe he was pleased with me, too, for a little while.

I suppose it had escaped his memory that I was his wife." But she described the happiness they enjoyed to have been unequal and perturbed.