ted for the reason she resented his--Tristram's--desire to
caress?

And all the proud, obstinate fighting blood of the Guiscards got up in
him. He would not be made a cat's-paw. If she exasperated him further he
would forget about being a gentleman, and act as a savage man, and seize
her in his arms and punish her for her haughtiness!

So it was his blue eyes which were blazing with resentment this time,
and not her pools of ink.

Thus they sat down to dinner in silence--much to the waiters' surprise
and disgust.

Zara felt almost glad her husband looked angry. He would then of his own
accord leave her in peace.

As the soup and fish came and went they exchanged no word, and then that
breeding that they both had made them realize the situation was
impossible, and they said some ordinary things while the waiters were in
the room.

The table was a small round one with the two places set at right angles,
and very close.

It was the first occasion upon which Zara had ever been so near
Tristram, and every time she looked up she was obliged to see his face.
She could not help owning to herself, that he was extraordinarily
distinguished looking, and that there were strong, noble lines in his
whole shape.

At the end of their repast, for different reasons, neither of the two
felt calm. Tristram's anger had died down, likewise his suspicions;
after a moment's thought the sane point of view always presented itself
to his brain. No, whatever her reasons were for her disdain of him,
having another lover was not the cause. And then he grew intoxicated
again with her beauty and grace.

She was a terrible temptation to him; she would have been so to any
normal man--and they were dining together--and she was his very own!

The waiters, with their cough of warning at the door, brought coffee and
liqueurs, and then bodily removed the dinner table, and shut the doors.

And now Zara knew she was practically alone with her lord for the night.

He walked about the room--he did not drink any coffee, nor even a
Chartreuse--and she stood perfectly still. Then he came back to her, and
suddenly clasped her in his arms, and passionately kissed her mouth.

"Zara!" he murmured hoarsely. "Good God! do you think I am a stone! I
tell you I love you--madly. Are you not going to be kind to me and
really be my wife?"

Then he saw a look in her eyes that turned him to ice.

"Animal!" she hissed, and hit him across the face.

And as he