made good
husbands, as men go. But I, by resisting the will of one bad man, made
infinite trouble for myself. Are you becoming wearied?"

"No, no; go on."

"I must pass over a great deal; and, thank God! some things have been
forgotten. Mr. Seabrook took his old room down stairs. As before, he sat
at the foot of the table and carved, but now as master of the house.
Servants not being easily obtained, it was not remarked that my duties
prevented my sitting down with my supposed husband at meals. He marketed
for me, and received the money of my boarders when pay-day came; and at
first he did--what he failed to do afterwards--pay the money over to me.

"You are curious to know how Mr. Seabrook conducted himself toward me
personally, and in particular. For a few days, well; so that I began to
feel confidence that so honorable a gentleman would be proved free from
all stain. But he soon began to annoy me with the most persistent
courtship, looking, as I could see, to breaking down my reserve, and
subjecting me to the domination of a passion for him. If I had ever
really loved Mr. Seabrook, it would have been a love of the senses, of
interest, of the understanding, and not of the imagination and heart. I
was just on the eve of such a love when it was fortunately put in check
by my suspicions. For him to endeavor to create a feeling now that
might, nay, that was intended to subvert principle and virtue, appeared
even to my small worldly sense, an insult and an outrage.

"When I talked in this way to him, he half laughingly and half in
earnest always declared that I should get into the habit of forgetting
our marriage before my 'proofs' came from Ohio, unless he every day put
me in mind of it! and this willingness to refer to 'proofs' threw me off
my guard a little. He designed very cunningly, but not quite cunningly
enough. As time wore on and he feared the proofs might come before he
had bent me to his will, his attempts lost even the semblance of love or
decency. Many and many a night I feared to close my eyes in sleep, lest
he should carry out his avowed purpose; for locks and bolts in a house
in those days were considered unnecessary, and I improvised such
defenses as I could. I used to threaten to call in my little German
neighbor, to which he replied she would probably recognize a man's right
to occupy the same apartment with his wife! Still, I think he was
deterred somewhat by the fear of exposure from using violenc