I was determined to show him that my heart was not his slave, and I could live without him if I chose; and I sat down and wrote a long letter to my aunt, of course telling her nothing of all this.

Soon after ten o'clock I heard him come up again, but he passed my door and went straight to his own dressing-room, where he shut himself in for the night.
I was rather anxious to see how he would meet me in the morning, and not a little disappointed to behold him enter the breakfast-room with a careless smile.
'Are you cross still, Helen ?' said he, approaching as if to salute me.

I coldly turned to the table, and began to pour out the coffee, observing that he was rather late.
He uttered a low whistle and sauntered away to the window, where he stood for some minutes looking out upon the pleasing prospect of sullen grey clouds, streaming rain, soaking lawn, and dripping leafless trees, and muttering execrations on the weather, and then sat down to breakfast.
While taking his coffee he muttered it was 'd--d cold.' 'You should not have left it so long,' said I.
He made no answer, and the meal was concluded in silence.

It was a relief to both when the letter-bag was brought in.

It contained upon examination a newspaper and one or two letters for him, and a couple of letters for me, which he tossed across the table without a remark.