ould come and sit in her father's room;
but when she spoke of her father her husband had cursed him with
scorn! Lopez was going to send food and wine into the house, which
would be gall and wormwood to her father. At one time she thought she
would at once write to her father and tell him of it all,--or perhaps
telegraph to him; but she could not do so without letting her husband
know what she had done, and then he would have justice on his side in
calling her disobedient. Were she to do that, then it would indeed be
necessary that she should take part against her husband.

She had brought all this misery on herself and on her father because
she had been obstinate in thinking that she could with certainty
read a lover's character. As for love,--that of course had died
away in her heart,--imperceptibly, though, alas, so quickly! It was
impossible that she could continue to love a man who from day to day
was teaching her mean lessons, and who was ever doing mean things,
the meanness of which was so little apparent to himself that he did
not scruple to divulge them to her. How could she love a man who
would make no sacrifice either to her comfort, her pride, or her
conscience? But still she might obey him,--if she could feel sure
that obedience to him was a duty. Could it be a duty to sin against
her father's wishes, and to assist in profaning his house and abusing
his hospitality after this fashion? Then her mind again went back to
the troubles of Mrs. Parker, and her absolute inefficiency in that
matter. It seemed to her that she had given herself over body and
soul and mind to some evil genius, and that there was no escape.

"Of course we'll come," Mrs. Roby had said to her when she went round
the corner into Berkeley Street early in the day. "Lopez spoke to me
about it before."

"What will papa say about it, Aunt Harriet?"

"I suppose he and Lopez understand each other."

"I do not think papa will understand this."

"I am sure Mr. Wharton would not lend his house to his son-in-law,
and then object to the man he had lent it to asking a friend to dine
with him. And I am sure that Mr. Lopez would not consent to occupy a
house on those terms. If you don't like it, of course we won't come."

"Pray don't say that. As these other women are to come, pray do not
desert me. But I cannot say I think it is right." Mrs. Dick, however,
only laughed at her scruples.

In the course of the evening Emily got letters addressed to