"I promise, with all my heart; and when I make a promise in that way you may be perfectly sure that it will be performed. That is a virtue I really possess. And so we will go on correcting each other till we are old, old people, ready to become angels, when we sha'n't have any faults at all to correct. For angels are faultless, you know. I am deeply religious, John, dear. There are angels and devils. The good people become angels, the wicked people devils." "You are mixing up things, rather, are you not, Barbara?" "Well, it is full of mystery, and who does know for certain? But one can believe; there is no harm in that, is there?" "None at all." "And I believe there is a heaven and a hell. You believe it, too, of course?" "Assuredly I believe there is a heaven, but not that there is a hell hereafter." She pondered over the words. "A hell hereafter! Why the 'hereafter,' dear?" "Because I have a firm conviction that we may suffer hell in this life, but not in the next." "A hell in this life! That would be awful. We will not suffer it, love." "I trust not, sincerely." "'Trust not!' You mean you are sure we shall not, surely." "I am sure we shall not, Barbara." I was as wax in her hands, standing, so to speak, forever on the edge of a precipice of her creating, and compelled to the utterance of sentiments to which I could not conscientiously subscribe, in order to escape the wreck of a possible happiness. "That I believe in hell fire and you do not," she said, thoughtfully, "shall not be a cause of difference between us. Everybody thinks his own ideas of religion are right. Perhaps bye and bye I will try to convert you, and if you feel very strongly on the subject of hell you shall try to convert me. Which do you think worse--a hell in this life, or a hell in the next?" "I have never considered it. Don't let us worry ourselves about theological matters during our honeymoon." "You are right, John; see how quickly I give in to you. I will tell you why, sir--because it is a wife's duty. You will never find me behindhand in that. Our honeymoon! How nicely you said it. There shall be nothing but sunshine and flowers, and the singing of birds, and love. Oh, what a happy, happy time! And you are no longer angry with me that I have engaged Annette?" "I am not angry with you at all." "John," she said, shaking her finger playfully at me, "that is an evasion, and you mustn't set me bad examples. Answer my question immediately, sir." "Well, Barbara, so long as she does not bring discord between us----" She stopped me with a kiss. "No, John, that will not do--it really will not do, you bad boy. You mustn't take unreasonable antipathies to people. A lady's-maid has a great deal to put up with, and mistresses are often very trying. There, you see, I don't spare myself--oh, no, I am a very just person, and I like every one to be justly treated. Say at once, sir, that you are no longer angry with me for engaging Annette."