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husband and wife there is always much more than the joking。 March had
seen some pretty feminine inconsistencies and trepidations which once
charmed him in his wife hardening into traits of middle…age which were
very like those of less interesting older women。 The sight moved him
with a kind of pathos； but he felt the result hindering and vexatious。
She now retorted that if he did not choose to take her at her word be
need not； but that whatever he did she should have nothing to reproach
herself with； and； at least； he could not say that she had trapped him
into anything。
〃What do you mean by trapping？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't know what you call it；〃 she answered； 〃but when you get me to
commit myself to a thing by leaving out the most essential point； I call
it trapping。〃
〃I wonder you stop at trapping； if you think I got you to favor
Fulkerson's scheme and then sprung New York on you。 I don't suppose you
do； though。 But I guess we won't talk about it any more。〃
He went out for a long walk； and she went to her room。 They lunched
silently together in the presence of their children； who knew that they
had been quarrelling； but were easily indifferent to the fact； as
children get to be in such cases； nature defends their youth； and the
unhappiness which they behold does not infect them。 In the evening；
after the boy and girl had gone to bed； the father and mother resumed
their talk。 He would have liked to take it up at the point from which it
wandered into hostilities； for he felt it lamentable that a matter which
so seriously concerned them should be confused in the fumes of senseless
anger； and he was willing to make a tacit acknowledgment of his own error
by recurring to the question； but she would not be content with this；
and he had to concede explicitly to her weakness that she really meant it
when she had asked him to accept Fulkerson's offer。 He said he knew
that； and he began soberly to talk over their prospects in the event of
their going to New York。
〃Oh； I see you are going！〃 she twitted。
〃I'm going to stay；〃 he answered； 〃and let them turn me out of my agency
here；〃 and in this bitterness their talk ended。
V。
His wife made no attempt to renew their talk before March went to his
business in the morning； and they parted in dry offence。 Their
experience was that these things always came right of themselves at last；
and they usually let them。 He knew that she had really tried to consent
to a thing that was repugnant to her； and in his heart he gave her more
credit for the effort than he had allowed her openly。 She knew that she
had made it with the reservation he accused her of； and that he had a
right to feel sore at what she could not help。 But he left her to brood
over his ingratitude； and she suffered him to go heavy and unfriended to
meet the chances of the day。 He said to himself that if she had assented
cordially to the conditions of Fulkerson's offer； he would have had the
courage to take all the other risks himself； and would have had the
satisfaction of resigning his place。 As it was； he must wait till he was
removed； and he figured with bitter pleasure the pain she would feel when
he came home some day and told her he had been supplanted； after it was
too late to close with Fulkerson。
He found a letter on his desk from the secretary； 〃Dictated；〃 in
typewriting； which briefly informed him that Mr。 Hubbell； the Inspector
of Agencies； would be in Boston on Wednesday； and would call at his
office during the forenoon。 The letter was not different in tone from
many that he had formerly received； but the visit announced was out of
the usual order； and March believed he read his fate in it。 During the
eighteen years of his connection with itfirst as a subordinate in the
Boston office； and finally as its general agent therehe had seen a good
many changes in the Reciprocity； presidents； vice…presidents； actuaries；
and general agents had come and gone； but there had always seemed to be a
recognition of his efficiency； or at least sufficiency； and there had
never been any manner of trouble； no question of accounts； no apparent
dissatisfaction with his management； until latterly； when there had begun
to come from headquarters some suggestions of enterprise in certain ways；
which gave him his first suspicions of his clerk Watkins's willingness to
succeed him； they embodied some of Watkins's ideas。 The things proposed
seemed to March undignified； and even vulgar； he had never thought
himself wanting in energy； though probably he had left the business to
take its own course in the old lines more than he realized。 Things had
always gone so smoothly that he had sometimes fancied a peculiar regard
for him in the management； which he had the weakness to attribute to an
appreciation of what he occasionally did in literature； though in saner
moments he felt how impossible this was。 Beyond a reference from Mr。
Hubbell to some piece of March's which had happened to meet his eye； no
one in the management ever gave a sign of consciousness that their
service was adorned by an obscure literary man； and Mr。 Hubbell himself
had the effect of regarding the excursions of March's pen as a sort of
joke； and of winking at them； as he might have winked if once in a way he
had found him a little the gayer for dining。
March wore through the day gloomily； but he had it on his conscience not
to show any resentment toward Watkins； whom he suspected of wishing to
supplant him； and even of working to do so。 Through this self…denial he
reached a better mind concerning his wife。 He determined not to make her
suffer needlessly； if the worst came to the worst； she would suffer
enough； at the best； and till the worst came he would spare her； and not
say anything about the letter he had got。
But when they met； her first glance divined that something had happened；
and her first question frustrated his generous intention。 He had to tell
her about the letter。 She would not allow that it had any significance；
but she wished him to make an end of his anxieties and forestall whatever
it might portend by resigning his place at once。 She said she was quite
ready to go to New York； she had been thinking it all over； and now she
really wanted to go。 He answered； soberly； that he had thought it over；
too； and he did not wish to leave Boston； where he had lived so long； or
try a new way of life if he could help it。 He insisted that he was quite
selfish in this； in their concessions their quarrel vanished； they agreed
that whatever happened would be for the best； and the next day be went to
his office fortified for any event。
His destiny； if tragical； presented itself with an aspect which he might
have found comic if it had been another's destiny。 Mr。 Hubbell brought
March's removal； softened in the guise of a promotion。 The management at
New York； it appeared； had acted upon a suggestion of Mr。 Hubbell's； and
now authorized him to offer March the editorship of the monthly paper
published in the interest of the company； his office would include the
authorship of circulars and leaflets in behalf of life…insurance；