He sprang up and faced her,--but for a moment could not speak. The perfection of her beauty had never ceased to arouse his wonder and passionate admiration,--but on this night, as she stood before him, arrayed in a simple, trailing robe of ivory-tinted velvet, with his family diamonds flashing in a tiara of light on her hair, glistening against the whiteness of her throat and rounded arms, she looked angelically lovely--so radiant, so royal, and withal so innocently happy, that, wistfully gazing at her, and thinking of the social clique into which she was about to make her entry, he wondered vaguely whether he was not wrong to take so pure and fair a creature among the false glitter and reckless hypocrisy of modern fashion and folly. And so he stood silent, till Thelma grew anxious.
"Ah, you are not satisfied!" she said plaintively. "I am not as you wish! There is something wrong."
He drew her closely into his arms, kissing her with an almost pathetic tenderness.
"Thelma, my love, my sweet one!" and his strong voice trembled. "You do not know--how should you? what I think of you! Satisfied? Pleased? Good Heavens--what little words those are to express my feelings! I can tell you how you look, for nothing can ever make you vain. You are beautiful! . . . you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and you look your very best tonight. But you are more than beautiful--you are good and pure and true, while society is--But why should I destroy your illusions? Only, my wife,--we have been all in all to each other,--and now I have a foolish feeling as if things were going to be different--as if we should not be so much together--and I wish--I wish to God I could keep you all to myself without anybody's interference!"
She looked at him in wonder, though she smiled.
"But you have changed, my boy, since the morning," she said. "Then you did wish me to be particular in dress,--and to wear your jewels, for this Lady Winsleigh. Now your eyes are sad, and you seem as if you would rather not go at all. Well, is it not easy to remain at home? I will take off these fine things, and we will sit together and read. Shall it be so?"
He laughed. "I believe you would do it if I asked you!" he said.
"But, of course! I am quite happy alone with you. I care nothing for this party,--what is it to me if you do not wish to go?"