o your position as to
mine." Emily shook her head. She had always heard her father ridicule
the folly of men who spent more than they could afford in the vanity
of writing two letters after their name, and she now explained that
it had always been so with him. "You would not mind asking him," he
said.
"I will ask him if you wish it, certainly." Ever since their marriage
he had been teaching her,--intentionally teaching her,--that it would
be the duty of both of them to get all they could from her father.
She had learned the lesson, but it had been very distasteful to her.
It had not induced her to think ill of her husband. She was too much
engrossed with him, too much in love with him for that. But she was
beginning to feel that the world in general was hard and greedy
and uncomfortable. If it was proper that a father should give his
daughter money when she was married, why did not her father do so
without waiting to be asked? And yet, if he were unwilling to do so,
would it not be better to leave him to his pleasure in the matter?
But now she began to perceive that her father was to be regarded as
a milch cow, and that she was to be the dairy-maid. Her husband at
times would become terribly anxious on the subject. On receiving
the promise of L3000 he had been elated, but since that he had
continually talked of what more her father ought to do for them.
"Perhaps I had better take the bull by the horns," he said, "and do
it myself. Then I shall find out whether he really has our interest
at heart, or whether he looks on you as a stranger because you've
gone away from him."
"I don't think he will look upon me as a stranger."
"We'll see," said Lopez.
It was not long before he made the experiment. He had called himself
a coward as to the opening of the Duchess's letter, but he had
in truth always courage for perils of this nature. On the day of
their arrival they dined with Mr. Wharton in Manchester Square, and
certainly the old man had received his daughter with great delight.
He had been courteous also to Lopez, and Emily, amidst the pleasure
of his welcome, had forgotten some of her troubles. The three were
alone together, and when Emily had asked after her brother, Mr.
Wharton had laughed and said that Everett was an ass. "You have not
quarrelled with him?" she said. He ridiculed the idea of any quarrel,
but again said that Everett was an ass.
After dinner Mr. Wharton and Lopez were left together, as the o
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