Pagina 579 di 896

It was a hard day, that day of being among them, with the first

reservation of their joint lives on his mind. It was a hard

matter to preserve the innocent deceit of which they were

profoundly unsuspicious. But, an affectionate glance at his wife,

so happy and busy, made him resolute not to tell her what

impended (he had been half moved to do it, so strange it was to

him to act in anything without her quiet aid), and the day passed

quickly. Early in the evening he embraced her, and her scarcely

less dear namesake, pretending that he would return by-and-bye

(an imaginary engagement took him out, and he had secreted a

valise of clothes ready), and so he emerged into the heavy mist

of the heavy streets, with a heavier heart.