follows day.  In the past, you know, I have not been influenced by society considerations, and in the future they shall be very secondary.  Therefore we of necessity are unlike, and could never be much company for each other.  There is never any use in trying to ignore the old law of ‘like unto like.’  I say this in explanation of what you know is true all the world over.  Even the close ties of kindred often count for little where tastes, occupations, and habits of thought are diverse.  All this is nothing against your perfect right to please yourself.  In this land, thank Heaven! families and friends cannot yoke people together to pull forward general and miscellaneous interests.”

“You speak as if it were a slight thing when the woman whom a man marries is merely accepted, tolerated, by his kindred.”

“I have not said that, Graydon; I have only said again what I said before—­that a man has a right to please himself.  The truth is trite enough; why recur to it?”

“Gravitation is trite enough, but it often has an acute bearing on one’s experience.  You do not like Stella—­”

“And she does not like me.”

“Very well; but you try to be just to her, and when she has lived a while in different associations you will find her greatly changed.  I think you can be her close friend in the future.  But Henry detests her, and he is so quietly and obstinately tenacious in his views that the fact annoys me exceedingly.”

“Very well; you can’t help that.  You will live in different houses, and your domestic life will be quite removed from business interests.”

“Oh, confound Henry!  He married to suit himself, so shall I. But, Madge, dear Madge, you will try to love her—­to help her to be more like you, for my sake?”

At last Madge’s laugh rang out merrily.  “For mercy’s sake, Graydon, don’t ask me to be a missionary to your wife,” she cried.  “If I escaped with my eyes I should be lucky.  You must think your wife perfection, and make her think you do.  Woe be unto you if you introduce a female friend and suggest that she should be imitated, even to the arch of an eyebrow.  Oh, no, I thank you!  That’s a sphere in which I shouldn’t shine at all, and I wouldn’t dare attempt it with any feminine saint in the calendar.  Oh, Graydon, what a dear old goose you are!” and she laughed till the tears came into her eyes.  He joined her in a half vexed way, protesting that she was still as uncanny as a ghost, although she had lost the aspect of one.

Suddenly she stopped, and tears of sorrow filled her eyes.  “Here I am, laughing at our absurd talk,” she said, “when I have just left the side of a poor girl, no older than myself, who is ghostly indeed in her flickering life.  Is it heartless to seem to forget so soon?  Oh, Graydon, you don’t know what trouble is!  You have only had vexations thus far.  Let me tell you what happened last night, if only to make you grateful for your strong, prosperous life.”