ur friend.'

Mrs Morgan was not much less stunned by this reply than if she had been
struck with lightning. Practised as she had long been in commanding her
passions and inclinations, a torrent of tears forced their way.

'I did not want this proof,' resumed Mr Morgan, 'that I have but a small
share of your affections; and were I inclined to grant your request, you
could not have found a better means of preventing it; for I will have no
person in my house more beloved than myself. When you have no other
friend,' added he with a malicious smile, 'I may hope for the honour of
that title.'

Mrs Morgan was so well convinced before of the littleness of his mind
that she was more afflicted than surprised at this instance of it, and
wished he would not have rendered it more difficult to esteem him by so
openly professing his ungenerous temper. However she silently
acquiesced; but that her friend might not feel the pain of believing
herself neglected, she was obliged to tell her what had passed.

The new married couple stayed but two days longer at Sir Charles's.
Fortunately Mr Morgan spent the last day abroad in paying visits in the
neighbourhood, which gave the two unhappy friends leisure to lament
their ill fortune in this cruel separation, without giving the cause of
it any new offence. They took a melancholy leave that night, fearing
that even a correspondence between them might be considerably restrained
by this arbitrary husband who seemed to think his wife's affections were
to be won by force, not by gentleness and generous confidence.

This was the severest affliction they had ever yet experienced, or
indeed were capable of feeling. United from their childhood, the
connection of soul and body did not seem more indissoluble, nor were
ever divided with greater pain. They foresaw no end to this cruel
separation; for they could not expect that a husband's complaisance to
his wife should increase after he ceased to be a bridegroom. Louisa
indeed, who wished if possible to reconcile her friend to her fate,
pretended to hope that her good conduct might in time enlarge his mind
and cure him of that mean suspicious temper which then made him fear to
have his faults exposed by a wife whose chief endeavour would be to
conceal them.

But such distant views afforded no consolation to Mrs Morgan's
affectionate heart; the present pain engaged her thoughts too much to
suffer her to look so far off for comfort. She had flattered