ay I saw the tears gather in her eyes.

"What _is_ the matter?" I asked, surprised and puzzled as one on Earth
who tries to please a woman by offering her her own way, and finds
that, so offered, it is the last thing she cares to have. It did not
occur to me that, even in trifles, a Martial wife never dreams that
her taste or wish can signify, or be consulted where her lord has a
preference of his own. To invite instead of commanding her
companionship was unusual; to withdraw the expression of my own wish,
and bid her decide for herself, was in Eveena's eyes to mark formally
and deliberately that I did not care for her society.

"What have I done," she faltered, "to be so punished? I have not, save
the day before yesterday, left the house this year; and you offer me
the greatest of pleasures only to snatch it away the next moment."

"Nay, Eveena!" I answered. "If I had not told you, you must know that
I cannot but wish for your company; but by your silence I fancied you
disliked my proposal, yet did not like to decline it."

The expression of surprise and perplexity in her face, though half
pathetic, seemed so comical that I with difficulty suppressed a laugh,
because for her it was evidently no laughing matter. After giving her
time, as I thought, to recover herself, I said--

"Well, I suppose we may now join them at the morning
meal?"

Something was still wrong, the clue to which I gathered by observing
her shy glance at her head-dress and veil.

"Must you wear those?" I asked--a question which gave her some such
imperfect clue to my thoughts as I had found to hers.

"How foolish of me," she said, smiling, "to forget how little you can
know of our customs! Of course I must wear my veil and sleeves; but
to-day you must put on the veil, as you removed it last night."

The awkwardness with which I performed this duty had its effect in
amusing and cheering her; and the look of happiness and trust had come
back to her countenance before the veil concealed it.

I made my request to Esmo, who answered, with some amusement--

"Every house like ours has from six to a dozen larger or lighter
carriages. Of course they cost nothing save the original purchase.
They last for half a lifetime, and are not costly at the outset. But I
have news for you which, I venture to think, will be as little
agreeable to you as to ourselves. Your journey must begin tomorrow,
and this, therefore, is the only opportunity you will have fo