Somehow, the whole scheme of the journey was distasteful to me—not for any reason that I could give, but because of a feeling I had that trouble would come of it; and I would willingly have foregone the money to remain quietly and safely at home. My husband, on the contrary, was delighted with the prospect of seeing London once more, and mixing with the world of scholars and reformers. It was no more than natural, I am sure. He was, a born scholar and divine, and he had been for a long time buried where he had little or no society of his own kind. "But you will go with me," he said, as we were talking it over. "I must have you with me." "A fine showing that you can not go up to London without your wife," said I, though my heart did give a great leap at the thought of seeing my old friends again. True, the Davis family no longer lived in London, having returned to the country, but my dear mistress lived there. The Duke of Suffolk had been dead some years, and her Grace was married again to a Mr. Batie, a gentleman of somewhat obscure family, but an admirable scholar and a very excellent man. It did seem strange to me that her Grace should take a second partner, but I do think her attachment to the Duke was rather that of an affectionate daughter to an indulgent father, than that of a wife to her husband. He had, as it were, brought her up, and he had married her very young, and before her heart had time to open. Never was happier wife, I am sure; but still I do not think the Duke ever was to her what Mr. Batie was, or what my good man was to me. Besides my desire to see London, I could not but feel that Walter would be the better of me at his elbow. A wife may reverence her husband according to the Scripture, as I am sure I have ever done by mine, and yet be conscious of his little infirmities. I knew Walter would not be so likely to spend half his legacy in old manuscripts and new books, and the rest in buying finery for Katherine and myself, if I were at hand, nor would he forget half his engagements and remember the other half wrong if he had me to look over the pocket-book where he carefully set them down, and which he never looked at afterward.