to the in her reply she no more reflected on it than she did on the there was in her saying that appearances had very little to do with happiness her object she was convinced was thoroughly it was whose intention was and there was a plan in her mind which when she had carried it out fully would prove how very false a step it would have been for him to descended from his position book � two temptations she returned home by mr s office meaning to call there it was the first time in her life that had thought of doing anything in the form of business but she felt equal i to the occasion she should be ed to do what she ua disliked was an idea which turned her quiet into active f j here was a case in which it could not be enough simply and be serenely placidly obstinate she must act according to her judgment and she said to herself that her judgment was ri ht � if it had not been she would not have wished to act on it mr was in the back room of his office and received with his finest manners not only because he had much sensibility to her charms but because the good natured fibre in him was by his certainty that was in difficulties and that this uncommonly pretty woman � young lady with the highest personal attractions � was likely to feel the pinch of trouble � to find her self involved in circumstances beyond her control he begged her to do him the honour to take a seat and stood before her and himself with an eager solicitude which was chiefly benevolent s first question was whether her husband had called on mr that morning to speak about of their house yes ma am yes he did he did so said the good trying to throw something soothing into his i was about to his order if possible this afternoon he wished me not to i called to tell you not to go any further mr and i beg of you not to mention what has been said on the will you oblige me certainly i will mrs certainly confidence is sacred with me on business or any other topic i am then to consider the commission withdrawn said mr the long ends of his blue with both hands and looking at yes if you please i find that mr ned has taken a house � the one in st peter s place next to mr s mr would be annoyed that his orders should be fulfilled and besides that there are other circumstances which render the proposal unnecessary v ery good mrs very good i am at your commands whenever you require any service of me said mr who felt pleasure in that some new resources had been opened rely on me i beg the shall co no further that evening was a little comforted by observing that was more lively than she had usually been of late and even seemed interested in doing what would please him without being asked he thought if she will be happy and i can rub through what does it all signify it is only a narrow swamp that we have to pass in a long journey if i can get my mind clear again i do he was so much cheered that he began to search for an account of experiments which he had ago meant to look up and had neglected out of that creeping despair which comes in the train of petty anxieties he again some of the old delightful in a inquiry while played the quiet music which was as to his meditation as the of an oar on the evening lake it was rather late he had pushed away all the books and was looking at the fire with his hands clasped behind his head in forgetfulness of except the construction of a new experiment when who had left the piano and was leaning back in her chair watching mm said � mr ned has taken a house already startled and looked up in silence for a moment like a man who has been disturbed in his sleep then flushing with an unpleasant he asked � how do you know i called at mrs s this morning and she told me that he had taken the house in st peter s place next to mr s ly te was silent he drew his hands from behind hia head and pressed them the hair which was hanging as it was apt to do in a mass on his forehead while he rested his shows on his knees he was feeling bitter disappointment as if he had opened a door out of a place and found it walled up out he also felt sure that was pleased with the cause of disappointment he preferred not looking at her and not speaking until ne had got oyer the first of after al he said in his bitterness what can a woman care about so much as house and furniture a husband without them is an absurdity when he looked up and pushed ms hair aside ms dark eyes had a miserable blank non of sympathy in them but he only said coolly � perhaps some one else may turn up i told to be on the look out if he failed with made no remark she trusted to the chance that nothing more would pass between her husband and the until some issue should have justified her interference at any rate she had the she immediately dreaded after a pause she said � how much money is it that those disagreeable people want what disagreeable people those who took the list � and the others i mean how much money would satisfy them so that you need not be troubled any more her 