He saw her ingenuous reverence for and belief in him, and was naturally rather pleased by them.

He was also vaguely aware that if she had been a more brilliant woman she would have been a more exacting one, and less easily impressed.

If she had been a stupid woman or a clumsy one, he would have detested her and bitterly regretted his marriage.

But she was only innocent and gratefully admiring, which qualities, combining themselves with good looks, good health, and good manners, made of a woman something he liked immensely.

Really she had looked very nice and attractive when she had bidden him good-by, with her emotional flush and softness of expression and the dewy brightness of her eyes.
There was something actually moving in the way her strong hand had wrung his at the last moment.
"I only _wish_," she had said, "I only do so _wish_ that there was something I could _do_ for you while you are away--something you could leave me to _do_." "Keep well and enjoy yourself," he had answered.