And what a sight when he reached that drawing-room of his! To the right, dresses; to the left, dresses; in front, band-boxes; behind, the same; lace, bobbins, furs, scarfs, shoes, gloves and--bills! a large number, all in a nice little heap in the centre of the table. He sat down in the middle of all this invasion, and stared about him as though he was anybody else in a strange place, rather than Don Pasquale. He was still sitting staring about when a hairdresser passed quickly through the room. The next moment a lady’s maid appeared at the door. “Good gracious,” said she, “ain’t my lady a scolding--do be quick with the diaments!” “Please, miss,” said a second servant to the lady’s maid, “here’s the milliner.” “Then let the milliner come quick.” The milliner rushed past the don, so to speak, smothered in boxes. At the door she was met by another waiting-woman, dashing off to the carriage with a cloak, a bouquet, and a scent-bottle. All these paraphernalia were handed to a footman, and then back the woman came, and crashed up against the fourth body menial--“me lady’s fan! me lady’s gloves! me lady’s veil!” The second footman without the door fell upon, and bore away these things. “Me lady’s carriage!” “Storms and----” something else said Don Pasquale, and with an effort fell upon the pile of bills. “To dressmaker, 100 dollars--oh! dear me! To coach-maker, six hundred--worse and worse. Twice as much to the jeweller. To horses--horses! I wish they’d carry all to----,” again the don used a highly improper atom of speech. Then the don in an awful whisper said, “HERE SHE IS!” In she came, like several ladies of state, and dressed as surely never pupil at a convent had ever been dressed before. She did not see him as she passed on, not she; but he stopped her--rather hoped he would excuse her, and faintly desired to know whither she was going. She loudly desired to be informed what that was to him--she was going out! Again he faintly and in a slightly sarcastical tone observed that a husband _might_ take the liberty of objecting. “A husband _might_ take the liberty, and it certainly _was_ a liberty; and indeed, a husband _might_ even _object_, but that was no reason why the wife should _obey_. It was the duty of such a man to see, and hold his tongue; indeed, common sense would tell him to hold his tongue; for, she would ask him, was he listened to when he _did_ speak?” “Take care, take care.” “It were wise, don, to take care of yourself.” “Go to your room, ma’am.” “You were best in yours. Go to bed, and to sleep. We will talk about this to-morrow.” “You shall not pass.” “Ah! you fill up the door. Indeed--don.” “Yes.” “Pray, now move.” “I will not.” “Ah!” What is it makes fire flash in the old eyes of the new husband? Was it a humiliating box on the ear--the right ear? Yes--yes. She came out from the door-way. Meanwhile the young Norina asked herself if she were not going too far. “Then I may go now?”