arrived at the Grange. The sight of the old
hall appeased her for a time, but finally the novelty wore off, and
her evil passions burst out. Naturally enough, my first blind
adoration passed away, and I began to take my proper position toward
her; that is to say, I undertook to give her some advice, which she
very sorely needed. This was the signal for a most furious outbreak.
What was worse, her outbreak took place before the servants. Of course
I could do nothing under such circumstances, so I left the room. When
I saw her again she was sullen and vicious. I attempted a
reconciliation, and kneeling down I passed my arms caressingly around
her. 'Look here,' said I, 'my own poor little darling, if I've done
wrong, I'm sorry, and--'

"Well, what do you think my lady did?"

"I don't know."

"She _kicked me_! that's all; she kicked me, just as I was apologizing
to her--just as I was trying to make it up. She kicked me! when I had
done nothing, and she alone had been to blame. What's more, her boots
were rather heavy, and that kick made itself felt unmistakably.

"I at once arose, and left her without a word. I did not speak to her
then for some time. I used to pass her in the house without looking at
her. This galled her terribly. She made the house too hot for the
servants, and I used to hear her all day long scolding them in a loud
shrill voice, till the sound of that voice became horrible to me.

"You must not suppose, however, that I became alienated all at once.
That was impossible. I loved her very dearly. After she had kicked me
away my love still lasted. It was a galling thought to a man like me
that she, a common girl, the daughter of a small tradesman, should
have kicked me; me, the descendant of Crusaders, by Jove! and of the
best blood in England; but after a while pride gave way to love, and I
tried to open the way for a reconciliation once or twice. I attempted
to address her in her calmer moods, but it was without any success.
She would not answer me at all. If servants were in the room she would
at once proceed to give orders to them, just as though I had not
spoken. She showed a horrible malignancy in trying to dismiss the
older servants, whom she knew to be favorites of mine. Of course I
would not let her do it.

"Well, one day I found that this sort of life was intolerable, and I
made an effort to put an end to it all. My love was not all gone yet,
and I began to think that I had been to blame. Sh