Page:Life's little ironies (1894).pdf/54

what an ill-considered thing it was! Oh, the content of those days! We had society there, people in our own position, who did not expect more of os than we expected of them. Here, where there is so much, there is nothing! He said London society was so bright and brilliant that it would be like a new world. It may be to those who are in it; but what is that to us two lonely women? we only see it flashing past! ... Oh, the fool, the foot that I was!”

Now Millborne was not so soundly asleep as to prevent his hearing these animad versions that were almost execrations, and many more of the same sort. As there was no peace for him at home, he went again to his club, where, situce his reunion with Leonora, he had seldom if ever been seen. But the shadow of the troubles in his household interfered with his comfort here also; he could not, as formerly, settle down into his favorite chair with the evening paper, reposefal in the celibate’s sense that where he was hie world's centre had its fixture. His world was now an ellipse, with a dual centrality, of which his own was not the major.

The young curate of Ivell still held aloof, tantalizing Frances by his elusiveness. Plainly he waa waiting upon events. Millborne bore the reproaches of his wife and daughter almost in silence, but by degrees he grew meditative, as if revolving a new idea. The bitter ery about blighting their existence at length became so impassioned that ove day Millborne calmly proposed to return again to the country; not necessarily to Exonbury, but, if they were willing, to a little old manor-house which he bad found was to be let, standing a mile from Mr. Cope’s town of Ivell.

They were surprised, and, despite their view of him as the bringer of ill, were disposed to accede, “Though I suppose,” said Mra, Millborne to bim, “ it