'
He got up from his chair, and, putting his arm about her, besought her to
dry her eyes; but she shook him passionately from her, and fled from the
room.
Three days after, Emily tore up one of her songs, because Mrs. Bentley had
sung it without her leave. And so on and so on, week after week. No sooner
was one quarrel allayed than signs of another began to appear. Hubert
despaired. 'How is this to end?' he asked himself every day. Mrs. Bentley
begged him to cancel her promise, and allow her to go. But that was
impossible. He could not remain alone with Emily; if he left her she would
not fail to believe that he had gone after her rival. The situation had
become so tense that they ended by discussing these questions almost
without reserve. To make matters worse, Emily had begun visibly to lose her
health. There was neither colour in her cheeks nor light in her eyes; she
hardly slept at all, and had grown more than ever like a little shadow. The
doctor had been summoned, and, after prescribing a tonic, had advised quiet
and avoidance of all excitement. Therefore Hubert and Mrs. Bentley agreed
never to meet except when Emily was present, and then strove to speak as
little as possible to each other.
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