"Is it not her duty to obey her husband, even as I obey my father, Susannah?--but I am not ashamed to walk out with you in your dress; so if you have no objection, let me show you a part of this great city." Susannah consented; we had often walked together in the town of Reading: she was evidently pleased at what I said. I soon escorted her to Oxford Street, from thence down Bond Street, and through all the most frequented parts of the metropolis. The dress naturally drew upon her the casual glance of the passengers, but her extreme beauty turned the glance to an ardent gaze, and long before we had finished our intended walk, Susannah requested that I would go home. She was not only annoyed but almost alarmed at the constant and reiterated scrutiny which she underwent, ascribing it to her dress, and not to her lovely person. As soon as we returned I sat down with her. "So I understand that Mr Cophagus intends to reside altogether in London." "I have not heard so; I understood that it was business which called him hither for a few weeks. I trust not, for I shall be unhappy here." "May I ask why?" "The people are rude--it is not agreeable to walk out." "Recollect, my dear Susannah, that those of your sect are not so plentiful in London as elsewhere, and if you wear a dress so different from other people, you must expect that curiosity will be excited. You cannot blame them--it is you who make yourself conspicuous, almost saying to the people by your garment, 'Come, and look at me.' I have been reflecting upon what Mr Masterton said to you at Reading, and I do not know whether he was not right in calling it a garb of pride instead of a garb of humility." "If I thought so, Japhet, even I would throw it off," replied Susannah. "It certainly is not pleasant that every one should think that you walk out on purpose to be stared at, yet such is the ill-natured construction of the world, and they will never believe otherwise. It is possible, I should think, to dress with equal simplicity and neatness, to avoid gay colours, and yet to dress so as not to excite observation." "I hardly know what to say, but that you all appear against me, and that sometimes I feel that I am too presumptuous in thus judging for myself." "I am not against you, Susannah; I know you will do what you think is right, and I shall respect you for that, even if I disagree with you; but I must say, that if my wife were to dress in such a way as to attract the public gaze, I should feel too jealous to approve of it. I do not, therefore, blame Mr Cophagus for inducing his pretty wife to make some alteration in her attire, neither do I blame but I commend her for obeying the wishes of her husband. Her beauty is his, and not common property." Susannah did not reply; she appeared very thoughtful. "You disagree with me, Susannah," said I, after a pause; "I am sorry for it."