Then all was again quiet at Surbiton Cottage.
Captain Cuttwater, who had perhaps drunk the bride’s
health once too often, went to sleep; Katie, having
taken off her fine clothes, roamed about the house
disconsolate, and Mrs. Woodward and Linda betook themselves
to their needles.
The Tudors went to Brussels, and were made welcome
by the Belgian banker, whose counters he had deserted
so much to his own benefit, and from thence to Paris,
and, having been there long enough to buy a French
bonnet and wonder at the enormity of French prices,
they returned to a small but comfortable house they
had prepared for themselves in the neighbourhood of
Westbourne Terrace.
Previous to this Norman had been once, and but once,
at Hampton, and, when there, he had failed in being
comfortable himself, or in making the Woodwards so;
he could not revert to his old habits, or sit, or
move, or walk, as though nothing special had happened
since he had been last there. He could not talk
about Gertrude, and he could not help talking of her.
By some closer packing among the ladies a room had
now been prepared for him in the house; even this
upset him, and brought to his mind all those unpleasant
thoughts which he should have endeavoured to avoid.
He did not repeat his visit before the Tudors returned;
and then for some time he was prevented from doing
so by the movements of the Woodwards themselves.
Mrs. Woodward paid a visit to her married daughter,
and, when she returned, Linda did the same. And
so for a while Norman was, as it were, divided from
his old friends, whereas Tudor, as a matter of course,
was one of themselves.
It was only natural that Mrs. Woodward should forgive
Alaric and receive him to her bosom, now that he was
her son-in-law. After all, such ties as these
avail more than any predilections, more than any effort
of judgement in the choice of the objects of our affections.
We associate with those with whom the tenor of life
has thrown us, and from habit we learn to love those
with whom we are brought to associate.
THE HONOURABLE MRS. VAL AND MISS GOLIGHTLY
The first eighteen months of Gertrude’s married
life were not unhappy, though, like all persons entering
on the realities of the world, she found much to disappoint
her. At first her husband’s society was
sufficient for her; and to give him his due, he was
not at first an inattentive husband. Then came
the baby, bringing with him, as first babies always
should do, a sort of second honeymoon of love, and
a renewal of those services which women so delight
to receive from their bosoms’ lord.
