Holborn—at Mudie's for some books—I thought I would come down and ask whether you intend to dine at home to-day. You said nothing about it either last night or this morning; and nowadays one really does not know how to manage in such matters.'
'I told you that I should return to Birmingham this afternoon; I shall dine there,' said Mr. Furnival, very sulkily.
'Oh, very well. I certainly knew that you were going out of town. I did not at all expect that you would remain at home; but I thought that you might, perhaps, like to have your dinner before you went. Good morning, Lady Mason; I hope you may be successful in your—lawsuit.' And then, curtsying to her husband's client, she prepared to withdraw.
'I believe I have said all that I need say, Mr. Furnival,' said Lady Mason; 'so that if Mrs. Furnival wishes—', and she also gathered herself up as though she were ready to leave the room.
'I hardly know what Mrs. Furnival wishes,' said the husband.
'My wishes are nothing,' said the wife, 'and I really am quite sorry that I came in.' And then she did go, leaving her husband and the woman of whom she was jealous once more alone together. Upon the whole I think that Mr. Furnival was right in not going home that day to his dinner.
As the door closed somewhat loudly behind the angry lady—Mr. Crabwitz having rushed out hardly in time to moderate the violence of the slam—Lady Mason and her imputed lover were left looking at each other. It was certainly hard upon Lady Mason, and so she felt it. Mr. Furnival was fifty-five, and endowed with a bluish nose; and she was over forty, and had lived for twenty years as a widow without incurring a breath of scandal.
'I hope I have not been to blame,' said Lady Mason in a soft, sad voice; 'but perhaps Mrs. Furnival specially wished to find you alone.'
'No, no; not at all.'
'I shall be so unhappy if I think that I have been in the way. If Mrs. Furnival wished to speak to you on business I am not surprised that she should be angry, for I know that barristers do not usually allow themselves to be troubled by their clients in their own chambers.'
'Nor by their wives,' Mr. Furnival might have added, but he did not.
'Do not mind it,' he said; 'it is nothing. She is the best-tempered woman in the world; but at times it is impossible to answer even for the best tempered.'
'I will trust you to make my peace with her.'
'Yes, of course; she will not think of it after to-day; nor must you, Lady Mason.'
'Oh, no; except that I would not for the world be the cause of
