He did not come, but at length Rosie looked in to say, "Won't you come down to the music-room, Zoe? Miss Fleming is going to play for us, and she is said to be quite a wonderful performer." Zoe accepted the invitation; she was fond of music, and it wasn't Miss Fleming who had robbed her of Edward. Yet, when she saw him standing beside her, a rapt and delighted listener, and assiduously turning her music, she began to almost hate her, too. The advent of these two strangers seemed to have rendered ineffectual all the efforts she had put forth that day to gratify her husband; of what use was it that she had so carefully prepared the lessons he would not trouble himself to hear? or that she had spent hours of patient practice at the piano in learning the song she was given no opportunity to play and sing? But womanly pride was awaking within her, and she made a tolerably successful effort to control and hide her feelings. When at length she found herself alone with Edward in their own apartments, she moved silently about making her preparations for retiring, seeming to have nothing to say. He burst into enthusiastic praises of the talents of their guests--the conversational gift of the one, the musical genius of the other. Zoe, standing before the mirror, brushing out her soft shining tresses, made no response. "Why are you so silent, little woman?" Edward asked presently. "Because I have nothing to say that you would want to hear." "Nothing that I would want to hear? why, I am fond of the very sound of your voice. But what's the matter?" for he had come to her side, and perceived with surprise and concern that her eyes were full of tears. "Oh, nothing! except that I'd looked forward to a delightful evening with my husband, after being parted from him all day, and didn't get it." "My dear Zoe," he said, "I owe you an apology! I actually forgot all about those lessons." "And me, too," she said bitterly. "My musical and conversational gifts sink into utter insignificance beside those of these newcomers." "Jealousy is a very mean and wicked passion, Zoe; I don't like to see you indulging it," he said, turning away from her. "I am, of course, expected to pay some attention to my mother's guests, and you will have to put up with it." "You are always right and I am always wrong," she said, half choking with indignation; "but if you are always to do as _you_ please, I shall do as _I_ please." "In regard to what?" he asked coldly. "Everything!" she answered in a defiant tone. Edward strode angrily into the next room; but five minutes sufficed to subdue his passion, and in tender tones he called softly to his wife, "Zoe, love, will you please come here for a moment?" She started with surprise at the kindness of his tones, her heart leaped for joy, and she ran to him, smiling through her tears.