“Very well, Edward.  If you remain, your salary will be increased to six hundred and fifty dollars.”

To Claire had now come another hour of darkness.  The little strength, just born of higher principles, was to be sorely tried.  Gold was in one scale, and the heavenly riches that are without wings in the other.  Which was to overbalance?

The moment Claire entered the presence of his wife, on returning home that evening, she saw that a change had taken place—­an unfavourable change; and a shadow fell upon her pure spirit.

“I spoke to Mr. Jasper about leaving him,” he remarked, soon after he came in.

“What did he say?” inquired Edith.

“He does not wish me to go.”

“I do not wonder at that.  But, of course, he is governed merely by a selfish regard to his own interests.”

“He offers to increase my salary to six hundred and fifty dollars,” said Edward, in a voice that left his wife in no doubt as to the effect which this had produced.

“A thousand dollars a year, Edward,” was the serious answer, “would be a poor compensation for such services as he requires.  Loss of self-respect, loss of honour, loss of the immortal soul, are all involved.  Think of this, my dear husband! and do not for a moment hesitate.”

But Edward did hesitate.  This unexpected offer of so important an increase in his salary had excited his love of money, temporarily quiescent.  He saw in such an increase a great temporal good; and this obscured his perception of a higher good, which, a little while before, had been so clear.

“I am not so sure, Edith,” said he, “that all these sad consequences are necessarily involved.  I am under no obligation to deal unfairly with his customers.  My duty will be done, when I sell to them all I can at a fair profit.  If he choose to take an excess of profit in his own dealing, that is his affair.  I need not be partaker in his guilt.”

“Edward!” returned his wife, laying her hand upon his arm, and speaking in a low, impressive voice—­“Do you really believe that you can give satisfaction to Mr. Jasper in all things, and yet keep your conscience void of offence before God and man?  Think of his character and requirements—­think of the kind of service you have, in too many instances, rendered him—­and then say whether it will be possible to satisfy him without putting in jeopardy all that a man should hold dear—­all that is worth living for?  Oh, Edward! do not let this offer blind you for a moment to the real truth.”

“Then you would have me reject the offer?”

“Without an instant’s hesitation, Edward.”

“It is a tempting one.  And then, look at the other side, Edith.  Only four hundred dollars a year, instead of six hundred and fifty.”

“I feel it as no temptation.  The latter sum, in the present case, is by far the better salary, for it will give us higher sources of enjoyment.  What are millions of dollars, and a disquiet mind, compared to a few hundreds, and sweet peace?  If you remain with Jasper, an unhappy spirit will surely steal into our dwelling—­if you take, for the present, your old place with Mr. Melleville, how brightly will each morning’s sun shine in upon us, and how calmly will the blessed evening draw around her curtains of repose!”