He did not see her again that night, betaking himself at a very late hour to his own dressing-room. On the next morning at an early hour he was awake thinking. He must not allow her to suppose for a moment that he was afraid of her. He went into her room a few minutes before their usual breakfast hour, and found her, nearly dressed, with her maid. "I shall be down directly, George," she said in her usual voice. As he could not bid the woman go away, he descended and waited for her in the parlour. When she entered the room she instantly rang the bell and contrived to keep the man in the room while she was making the tea. But he would not sit down. How is a man to scold his wife properly with toast and butter on a plate before him? "Will you not have your tea?" she asked--oh, so gently. "Put it down," he said. According to her custom, she got up and brought it round to his place. When they were alone she would kiss his forehead as she did so; but now the servant was just closing the door, and there was no kiss. "Do come to your breakfast, George," she said. "I cannot eat my breakfast while all this is on my mind. I must speak of it. We must leave London at once." "In a week or two." "At once. After last night, there must be no more going to parties." She lifted her cup to her lips and sat quite silent. She would hear a little more before she answered him. "You must feel yourself that for some time to come, perhaps for some years, privacy will be the best for us." "I feel nothing of the kind, George." "Could you go and face those people after what happened last night?" "Certainly I could, and should think it my duty to do so to-night, if it were possible. No doubt you have made it difficult, but I would do it." "I was forced to make it difficult. There was nothing for me to do but to take you away." "Because you were angry, you were satisfied to disgrace me before all the people there. What has been done cannot be helped. I must bear it. I cannot stop people from talking and thinking evil. But I will never say that I think evil of myself by hiding myself. I don't know what you mean by privacy. I want no privacy." "Why did you dance with that man?" "Because it was so arranged." "You had told me it was some one else?" "Do you mean to accuse me of a falsehood, George? First one arrangement had been made, and then another." "I had been told before how it was to be." "Who told you? I can only answer for myself." "And why did you waltz?" "Because you had withdrawn your foolish objection. Why should I not dance like other people? Papa does not think it wrong?" "Your father has nothing to do with it." "If you ill-treat me, George, papa must have something to do with it. Do you think he will see me disgraced before a room full of people, as you did yesterday, and hold his tongue? Of course you are my husband, but he is still my father; and if I want protection he will protect me."