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l of Seville, and in galling contrast to the high hopes, the proud rapture, which then had filled him, the dead failure of the present rose, specter-like, to mock him, and would not be laid again. He recalled how he had looked down with palpitating heart on the blushing, smiling face, lace-veiled, by his side; how the touch of the slim fingers, as he held them within his, thrilled him through and through; with what a tender earnestness, what faith and love God knows! he had vowed to cherish her till death; recalled the tumult of joy with which he had led her down the aisle, his wife!...
It would be curious to look back on, in truth, if it were not almost maddening.
The quarrel had started, trivially enough, by his refusal to escort her to the ball that evening. In no humor to put himself out for her this day, he had vowed himself determined to have a quiet evening for once at any price. She pouted, protested, wept and stormed in vain, finally brushed away her tears, and, with sudden calm defiance, announced her determination to go alone.
"If you do," had retorted the husband, fairly roused, "I shall never forgive you." And thereupon he had flung himself out of the house, to seek in his club the peace and independence refused him in his home.
He had not dreamed she would have dared to disobey him openly; indeed, such an act of emancipation would have been considered so marked in those days of sterner social propriety that he had not for an instant contemplated seriously the possibility of her carrying out her threat; and his anger was deep indeed when he discovered the fact.
Gone to that infernal ball! Gone, in the very teeth of his command!
"Before heaven, she actually browbeats me!" he cried, as, once more alone, he paced the little room from end to end, gradually collecting his thoughts after the first blank confusion of his rage.
The silver clock on the mantelpiece struck twice in its chirpy way. She was enjoying herself, without doubt, not thinkin