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She was long in corew impatient and went to call her The door was ajar, and so I saw her, kneeling in the middle of the floor, her head thrown back, her hands raised and clasped, on her face terror and anguish of spirit written so large that I started to see it I stared in aone to her, as I would have gone to any other creature in so dire distress On second thoughts, I went noiselessly back to reat roo to wait Presently she appeared, and I could have doubted the testiure of a few moments before Beautiful and disdainful, she reat chair drawn before it with the air of an e a throne I contented , and scarcely touched the canary I poured for her I pressed upon her wine and viands,--in vain; I strove to make conversation,--equally in vain Finally, tired of "yes" and "no" uttered as though she were reluctantly casting pearls before swine, I desisted, and applied myself to my supper in a silence as sullen as her own At last we rose fros of door and s, and returning found her standing in the centre of the room, her head up and her hands clenched at her sides I saw that ere to have it out then and there, and I was glad of it

"You have so to say," I said "I aainst the chimneypiece

The low fire upon the hearth burnt lower still before she broke the silence When she did speak it was slowly, and with a voice which was evidently controlled only by a strong effort of a strong will She said:-"When--yesterday, to-day, ten thousand years ago you went froe yonder, to those huts that make your London, you went to buy you a wife?"

"Yes, madam," I answered "I ith that intention"

"You had made your calculation? In your mind you had pitched upon such and such an article, with such and such qualities, as desirable? Doubtless you et your money's worth?"

"Doubtless," I said dryly

"Will you tell me what you were inclined to consider its equivalent?"