'But never mind, Helen, I don't care for her now; and I never loved any of them half as much as I do you, so you needn't fear to be forsaken like them.' 'If you had told me these things before, Arthur, I never should have given you the chance.' 'Wouldn't you, my darling ?' 'Most certainly not!' He laughed incredulously.
'I wish I could convince you of it now!' cried I, starting up from beside him: and for the first time in my life, and I hope the last, I wished I had not married him.
'Helen,' said he, more gravely, 'do you know that if I believed you now I should be very angry?
but thank heaven I don't.

Though you stand there with your white face and flashing eyes, looking at me like a very tigress, I know the heart within you perhaps a trifle better than you know it yourself.' Without another word I left the room and locked myself up in my own chamber.

In about half an hour he came to the door, and first he tried the handle, then he knocked.
'Won't you let me in, Helen ?' said he.

'No; you have displeased me,' I replied, 'and I don't want to see your face or hear your voice again till the morning.' He paused a moment as if dumfounded or uncertain how to answer such a speech, and then turned and walked away.

This was only an hour after dinner: I knew he would find it very dull to sit alone all the evening; and this considerably softened my resentment, though it did not make me relent.