`No——howshouldyou，whenyouneverdoanythingtotrythem？’
　　`Thenwhydoyoutryyours，Arthur？’
　　`DoyouthinkIhavenothingtodobuttostayathomeandtakecareofmyselflikeawoman？’
　　`Isitimpossiblethen，totakecareofyourselflikeamanwhenyougoabroad？Youtoldmethatyoucould——andwouldtoo；andyoupromised——`
　　`Come，come，Helen，don’tbeginwiththatnonsensenow；Ican’tbearit。’
　　`Can’tbearwhat？——toberemindedofthepromisesyouhavebroken？’
　　`Helen，youarecruel。Ifyouknewhowmyheartthrobbed，andhoweverynervethrilledthroughmewhileyouspoke，youwouldspareme。
　　Youcanpityadoltofaservantforbreakingadish；butyouhavenocompassionforme，whenmyheadissplitintwoandallonfirewiththisconsumingfever。’
　　Heleanthisheadonhishand，andsighed。Iwenttohimandputmyhandonhisforehead。Itwasburningindeed。
　　`Thencomewithmeintothedrawing-room，Arthur；anddon’ttakeanymorewine；youhavetakenseveralglassessincedinner，andeatennexttonothingalltheday。Howcanthatmakeyoubetter？’
　　Withsomecoaxingandpersuasion，Igothimtoleavethetable。
　　WhenthebabywasbroughtItriedtoamusehimwiththat；butpoorlittleArthurwascuttinghisteeth，andhisfathercouldnotbearhiscomplaints；
　　sentenceofimmediatebanishmentwaspasseduponhimonthefirstindicationoffretfulness；and，because，inthecourseoftheevening，Iwenttosharehisexileforalittlewhile，Iwasreproached，onmyreturn，forpreferringmychildtomyhusband。IfoundthelatterrecliningonthesofajustasIhadlefthim。
　　`Well！’exclaimedtheinjuredman，inatoneofpseudoresignation。
　　`IthoughtIwouldn’tsendforyou；IthoughtI’djustsee——howlongitwouldpleaseyoutoleavemealone。’
　　`Ihavenotbeenverylong，haveI，Arthur？Ihavenotbeenanhour，I’msure。’
　　`Oh，ofcourse，anhourisnothingtoyou，sopleasantlyemployed；
　　buttome——`
　　`Ithasnotbeenpleasantlyemployed，’interruptedI。`Ihavebeennursingourpoorlittlebaby，whoisveryfarfromwell，andIcouldnotleavehimtillIgothimtosleep。’
　　`Ohtobesure，you’reoverflowingwithkindnessandpityforeverythingbutme。’
　　`AndwhyshouldIpityyou？whatisthematterwithyou？’
　　`Well！thatpasseseverything！AfterallthewearandtearthatI’vehad，whenIcomehomesickandweary，longingforcomfort，andexpectingtofindattentionandkindness，atleast，frommywife，——shecalmlyaskswhatisthematterwithme！’
　　`Thereisnothingthematterwithyou，’returnedI，`exceptwhatyouhavewilfullybroughtuponyourselfagainstmyearnestexhortationandentreaty。’
　　`Now，Helen，’saidhe，emphatically，halfrisingfromhisrecumbentposture，`ifyoubothermewithanotherword，I’llringthebellandordersixbottlesofwine——and，byHeaven，I’lldrinkthemdrybeforeIstirfromthisplace！’
　　Isaidnomorebutsatdownbeforethetableanddrewabooktowardsme，`Doletmehavequietnessatleast！’continuedhe，`ifyoudenymeeveryothercomfort，’andsinkingbackintohisformerposition，withanimpatientexpirationbetweenasighandagroan，helanguidlyclosedhiseyesasiftosleep。
　　Whatthebookwas，thatlayopenonthetablebeforeme，Icannottell，forIneverlookedatit。Withanelbowoneachsideofit，andmyhandsclaspedbeforemyeyes，Ideliveredmyselfuptosilentweeping。
　　ButArthurwasnotasleep：atthefirstslightsob，heraisedhisheadandlookedround，impatientlyexclaiming——
　　`Whatareyoucryingfor，Helen？Whatthedeuceisthematternow？’
　　`I’mcryingforyou，Arthur，’Ireplied，speedilydryingmytears；
　　andstartingup，Ithrewmyselfonmykneesbeforehim，and，claspinghisnervelesshandbetweenmyown，continued：`Don’tyouknowthatyouareapartofmyself？Anddoyouthinkyoucaninjureanddegradeyourself，andInotfeelit？’
　　`Degrademyself，Helen？’
　　Yes，degrade！Whathaveyoubeendoingallthistime？’
　　`You’dbetternotask，’saidhe，withafaintsmile。
　　`Andyouhadbetternottell——butyoucannotdenythatyouhavedegradedyourselfmiserably。Youhaveshamefullywrongedyourself，bodyandsoul——andmetoo；andIcan’tendureitquietly——andIwon’t！’
　　`Well，don’tsqueezemyhandsofranticallyanddon’tagitatemeso，forHeaven’ssake！Oh，Hattersley！youwereright；thiswomanwillbethedeathofme，withherkeenfeelingsandherinterestingforceofcharacter——There，there，dosparemealittle。’
　　`Arthur，youmustrepent！’criedI，inafrenzyofdesperation，throwingmyarmsaroundhimandburyingmyfaceinhisbosom。Youshallsayyouaresorryforwhatyouhavedone！’
　　`Well，well，Iam。’
　　`Youarenot！you’lldoitagain。’
　　`Ishallneverlivetodoitagain，ifyoutreatmesosavagely，’
　　repliedhe，pushingmefromhim。`You’venearlysqueezedthebreathoutofmybody。’Hepressedhishandtohisheart，andlookedreallyagitatedandill。
　　`Nowgetmeaglassofwine，’saidhe，`toremedywhatyou’vedone，youshe-tiger！I’malmostreadytofaint。’
　　IflewtogettherequiredremedyItseemedtorevivehimconsiderably。
　　`Whatashameitis，’saidI，asItooktheemptyglassfromhishand，`forastrongyoungmanlikeyoutoreduceyourselftosuchastate！’
　　`Ifyouknewall，mygirl，you’dsayrather，“Whatawonderitisyoucanbearitsowellasyoudo！”I’velivedmoreinthesefourmonths，Helen，thanyouhaveinthewholecourseofyourexistence，orwilltotheendofyourdays，iftheynumberedahundredyears；——soImustexpecttopayforitinsomeshape。’
　　`Youwillhavetopayahigherpricethanyouanticipate，ifyoudon’ttakecare——therewillbethetotallossofyourownhealth，andofmyaffectiontoo——ifthatisofanyvaluetoyou。’
　　`What，you’reatthatgameofthreateningmewiththelossofyouraffectionagain，areyou？Ithinkitcouldn’thavebeenverygenuinestufftobeginwith，ifit’ssoeasilydemolished。Ifyoudon’tmind，myprettytyrant，you’llmakemeregretmychoiceingoodearnest，andenvymyfriendHattersleyhismeeklittlewife——she’squiteapatterntohersex，Helen；hehadherwithhiminLondonalltheseason，andshewasnotroubleatall。Hemightamusehimselfjustashepleased，inregularbachelorstyle，andshenevercomplainedofneglect；hemightcomehomeatanyhourofthenightormorning，ornotcomehomeatall；besullensober，orgloriousdrunk；andplaythefoolorthemadmantohisownheart’sdesirewithoutanyfearorbotheration。Shenevergiveshimawordofreproachorcomplaint，dowhathewill。Hesaysthere’snotsuchajewelinallEngland，andswearshewouldn’ttakeakingdomforher，’
　　`Buthemakesherlifeacursetoher。’
　　`Nothe！Shehasnowillbuthis，andisalwayscontentedandhappyaslongasheisenjoyinghimself，’
　　`Inthatcase，sheisasgreatafoolasheis；butitisnotso。Ihaveseverallettersfromher，expressingthegreatestanxietyabouthisproceedings，andcomplainingthatyouincitehimtocommitthoseextravagances——oneespecially，inwhichsheimploresmetousemyinfluencewithyoutogetyouawayfromLondon，andaffirmsthatherhusbandneverdidsuchthingsbeforeyoucame，andwouldcertainlydiscontinuethemassoonasyoudepartedandlefthimtotheguidanceofhisowngoodsense。’
　　`Thedetestablelittletraitor！Givemetheletter，andheshallseeitassureasI’malivingman。’
　　`No，heshallnotseeitwithoutherconsent；butifhedid，thereisnothingtheretoangerhim——norinanyoftheothers。Sheneverspeaksawordagainsthim；itisonlyanxietyforhimthatsheexpresses。Sheonlyalludestohisconductinthemostdelicateterms，andmakeseveryexcuseforhimthatshecanpossiblythinkof——andasforherownmisery，Iratherfeelitthanseeitexpressedinherletters。’
　　`Butsheabusesme；andnodoubtyouhelpedher。’
　　`No；Itoldhersheoverratedmyinfluencewithyou，thatIwouldgladlydrawyouawayfromthetemptationsofthetownifIcould，buthadlittlehopeofsuccess，andthatIthoughtshewaswronginsupposingthatyouenticedMrHattersleyoranyoneelseintoerror。Ihad，myself，heldthecontraryopinionatonetime，butInowbelievedthatyoumutuallycorruptedeachother；and，perhaps，ifsheusedalittlegentle，butseriousremonstrancewithherhusband，itmightbeofsomeservice，asthoughhewasmoreroughhewnthanmine，Ibelievedhewasofalessimpenetrablematerial。’
　　`Andsothatisthewayyougoon——hearteningeachotheruptomutiny，andabusingeachother’spartners，andthrowingoutimplicationsagainstyourown，tothemutualgratificationofboth！’
　　`Accordingtoyourownaccount，’saidI，`myevilcounselhashadbutlittleeffectuponher，Andastoabuseandaspersions，wearebothofusfartoodeeplyashamedoftheerrorsandvicesofourotherhalves，tomakethemthecommonsubjectofourcorrespondence。Friendsasweare，wewouldwillinglykeepyourfailingstoourselves——evenfromourselvesifwecould，unlessbyknowingthemwecoulddeliveryoufromthem。’
　　`Well，well！don’tworrymeaboutthem：you’llnevereffectanygoodbythat。Havepatiencewithme，andbearwithmylanguorandcrossnessalittlewhile，tillIgetthiscursedlowfeveroutofmyveins，andthenyou’llfindmecheerfulandkindasever。Whycan’tyoubegentleandgoodasyouwerelasttime？——I’msureIwasverygratefulforit。’
　　`Andwhatgooddidyourgratitudedo？Ideludedmyselfwiththeideathatyouwereashamedofyourtransgressions，andhopedyouwouldneverrepeatthemagain；butnow，youhaveleftmenothingtohope！’
　　`Mycaseisquitedesperate，isit？Averyblessedconsideration，ifitwillonlysecuremefromthepainandworryofmydear，anxiouswife’seffortstoconvertme，andherfromthetoilandtroubleofsuchexertions，andhersweetfaceandsilveraccentsfromtheruinouseffectsofthesame。
　　Aburstofpassionisafine，rousingthinguponoccasion，Helen，andafloodoftearsismarvellouslyaffecting，but，whenindulgedtoooften，theyarebothdeucedplaguythingsforspoilingone’sbeautyandtiringoutone’sfriends。’
　　Thenceforth，IrestrainedmytearsandpassionsasmuchasIcould。
　　Isparedhimmyexhortationsandfruitlesseffortsatconversiontoo，forIsawitwasallinvain：Godmightawakenthatheartsupineandstupifiedwithself-indulgence，andremovethefilmofsensualdarknessfromhiseyes，butIcouldnot。Hisinjusticeandillhumourtowardshisinferiors，whocouldnotdefendthemselves，Istillresentedandwithstood；butwhenIalonewastheirobject，aswasfrequentlythecase，Iendureditwithcalmforbearance，exceptattimeswhenmytemper，wornoutbyrepeatedannoyances，orstungtodistractionbysomenewinstanceofirrationality，gavewayinspiteofmyself，andexposedmetotheimputationsoffierceness，cruelty，andimpatience。Iattendedcarefullytohiswantsandamusements，butnot，Iown，withthesamedevotedfondnessasbefore，becauseIcouldnotfeelit：besides，Ihadnowanotherclaimantonmytimeandcare——myailinginfant，forwhosesakeIfrequentlybravedandsufferedthereproachesandcomplaIntsofhisunreasonablyexactingfather。
　　ButArthurisnotnaturallyapeevishorirritableman——sofarfromitthattherewassomethingalmostludicrousintheincongruityofthisadventitiousfretfulnessandnervousirritability，rathercalculatedtoexcitelaughterthananger，ifitwerenotfortheintenselypainfulconsiderationsattendantuponthosesymptomsofadisorderedframe，——andhistempergraduallyimprovedashisbodilyhealthwasrestored，whichwasmuchsoonerthanwouldhavebeenthecase，butformystrenuousexertions；
　　fortherewasstillonethingabouthimthatIdidnotgiveupindespair，andoneeffortforhispreservationthatIwouldnotremit。Hisappetiteforthestimulusofwinehadincreaseduponhim，asIhadtoowellforeseen。
　　Itwasnowsomethingmoretohimthananaccessarytosocialenjoyment：
　　itwasanimportantsourceofenjoymentinitself。Inthistimeofweaknessanddepressionhewouldhavemadeithismedicineandsupport，hiscomforter，hisrecreation，andhisfriend，——andtherebysunkdeeperanddeeper——andboundhimselfdownforeverinthebathoswhereintohehadfallen。ButIdeterminedthisshouldneverbe，aslongasIhadanyinfluenceleft；
　　andthoughIcouldnotpreventhimfromtakingmorethanwasgoodforhim，still，byincessantperseverance，bykindnessandfirmnessandvigilance，bycoaxinganddaringanddetermination，——Isucceededinpreservinghimfromabsolutebondagetothatdetestablepropensity，soinsidiousinitsadvances，soinexorableinitstyranny，sodisastrousinitseffects。