"Now, Annie," said Mrs. Villars, "how unkind it is of you to talk in this way. You see, I had reason to be afraid of speaking to you." "I meant it most kindly, I do assure you," said Mrs. Lesly. "That may be," said Mrs. Villars, poutingly; "but that cutting way of speaking hurts the feelings, and you are very fond of it, sometimes." "Well, dear," said Mrs. Lesly, "I only meant a little good advice, but as you do not like it, I will say no more." "Besides," continued Mrs. Villars, "I expect girls with such pretensions and advantages as mine have, to marry men of wealth and station, who will only be too proud to see them dress well. You ought to see them enter a ball-room, and how immediately they are surrounded." "Ah, yes, I dare say," said Mrs. Lesly, who was always too indolent for any long argument, and generally gave up a point, even with Amy, when persisted in beyond her patience. "But now then, to return to my little difficulty," said Mrs. Villars, recovering her good-temper. "You know Mr. Villars is so horribly cross now, I do not dare to bring anything before him." "I am sorry to hear that," said Mrs. Lesly; "my William never said a cross word to me, that I remember." "Ah," sighed Mrs. Villars, "it is very different with me, I assure you--Villars is always finding fault now, since the girls are come out." "Well," repeated Mrs. Lesly, "I certainly never remember being afraid of my poor husband." "No; but then he was a soldier, that makes a man very different," said Mrs. Villars, "so kind and open-hearted. Now Villars, though he has left his business in the city, and is only a sleeping partner, yet he seems to take as much interest in it as ever; and if anything goes wrong, then he is off to London to give his advice, he says, and comes home so cross, there is no speaking a word to him, and if he finds us going out, as we do, of course, nearly every night, then he goes off sulky to his study. Married life with such a man, is no joke, I can tell you. When we first married, he had such an easy temper; he says I spoilt it, but the fault lies at his own door, of that I am certain. But I would not say this to every one." "I hope not, indeed," said Mrs. Lesly, much pained; "it is better to keep these things from everybody; and you cannot blame him without finding fault with yourself at the same time."