must be more independent in his strength.  Of what a man ought to be she had but one criterion, Richard’s self.  Her judgment on this point had been formed five or six years ago; she felt that nothing now could ever shake it.  All of expressed love that he was pleased to give her she stored in the shrine of her memory; many a light word forgotten by the speaker as soon as it was uttered lived still as a part of the girl’s hourly life, but his reticences she accepted with no less devout humility.  What need of repetitions?  He had spoken to her the decisive word, and it was a column established for ever, a monument of that over which time had no power.  Women are too apt to make their fondness a source of infinite fears; in Emma growth of love meant growth of confidence.

‘Does all go well at the works?’ was her first question.  For she had made his interests her own, and was following in ardent imagination the undertaking which stamped her husband with nobility.

Richard talked on the subject for some moments; it was easier to do so than to come at once to the words he had in mind.  But he worked round by degrees, fighting the way hard.

‘The house is empty at last.’

‘Is it?  And you have gone to live there?’

‘Not yet.  I must get some furniture in first.’

Emma kept silence; the shadows of a smile journeyed trembling from her eyes to her lips.

The question voiced itself from Richard: 

‘When will you be ready to go thither?’

’I’m afraid—­I don’t think I must leave them just yet—­for a little longer.’

He did not look at her.  Emma was reading his face; the characters had become all at once a little puzzling; her own fault, of course, but the significance she sought was not readily discoverable.

‘Can’t they manage without you?’ he asked.  He believed his tone to express annoyance:  in fact, it scarcely did so.

‘I think it won’t be very long before they can,’ Emma replied; ’we have some plain sewing to do for Mrs. Robinson at the “Queen’s Head,” and she’s promised to recommend us.  I’ve just called there, and she really seems anxious to help.  If Jane was stronger I shouldn’t mind so much, but she mustn’t work hard just yet, and Kate has a great deal to do with the children.  Besides, Kate can’t get out of the slop sewing, and of course that won’t do for this kind of work.  She’ll get the stitch very soon.’

Richard seemed to be musing.

’You see’—­she moved nearer to his side,—­’it’s only just the beginning.  I’m so afraid that they wouldn’t be able to look about for work if I left them now.  Jane hasn’t the strength to go and see people; and Kate—­well, you know, Richard, she can’t quite suit herself to people’s fancies.  I’m sure I can do so much in a few weeks; just that’ll make all the difference.  The beginning’s everything, isn’t it?’

Richard’s eye travelled over her face.  He was not without understanding of the nobleness which housed in that plain-clad, simple-featured woman there before him.  It had shot a ray to the secret places of his heart before now; it breathed a passing summer along his veins at this present.