Cross Purposes

Meanwhile, Kingsley returned from Texas. He became my principal
companion. We strolled together in my leisure hours by day. We sat
and smoked together in his chamber by night. My blind fortitude
may be estimated, when the reader is told that Kingsley professed
to find me a very agreeable companion. He complimented me on my
liveliness, my wit, my humor, and what not--and this, too, when I
was all the while meditating, with the acutest feeling of apprehension,
upon the very last wrong which the spirit of man is found willing
to endure;--when I believed that the ruin of my house was at hand;
when I believed that the ruin of my heart and hope had already taken
place;--and when, hungering only for the necessary degree of proof
which justice required before conviction, I was laying my gins and
snares with the view to detecting the offenders, and consummating
the last terrible but necessary work of vengeance! But Kingsley
did not confine himself altogether to the language of compliment.

"Good fellow and good companion as you are, Clifford--and loath as
I should be to give up these pleasant evenings, still I think you
very wrong in one respect. You neglect your wife."

"Ha! ha! what an idea! You are not serious?"

"As a judge."

"Psha! She does not miss me."

"Perhaps not," he answered gravely--"but for your own sake if not
for hers, it seems to me you should pursue a more domestic course."

"What mean you?"

"Yon leave your wife too much to herself!--nay--let me be frank--not
too much to herself, for there would be little danger in that, but
too much with that fellow Edgerton."