"
She looked up for a moment with an air of pain and perplexity, and as
she turned away I saw the tears gather in her eyes.
"What _is_ the matter?" I asked, surprised and puzzled as one on Earth
who tries to please a woman by offering her her own way, and finds
that, so offered, it is the last thing she cares to have. It did not
occur to me that, even in trifles, a Martial wife never dreams that
her taste or wish can signify, or be consulted where her lord has a
preference of his own. To invite instead of commanding her
companionship was unusual; to withdraw the expression of my own wish,
and bid her decide for herself, was in Eveena's eyes to mark formally
and deliberately that I did not care for her society.
"What have I done," she faltered, "to be so punished? I have not, save
the day before yesterday, left the house this year; and you offer me
the greatest of pleasures only to snatch it away the next moment."
"Nay, Eveena!" I answered. "If I had not told you, you must know that
I cannot but wish for your company; but by your silence I fancied you
disliked my proposal, yet did not like to decline it.
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