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 their defense. He had disrespectfully attacked the education of women in general, and had said that Hannah, Anna's English protégée, had not the slightest need of knowing anything about physics.

That had irritated Anna. She saw in it a derogatory reference to her own occupations, and she conjured up and uttered a phrase which was meant to repay him for the pain he inflicted on her.

"I did not expect that you would comprehend me and my feelings as a man who really loved would, but I expected at least some delicacy," said she.

And in reality he had reddened with vexation and made some unpleasant remark. She did not remember what retort she then made, but, whatever it was, he had said with the manifest intention of hurting her feelings:—

"I confess your devotion to that girl does not interest me, because I can see in it nothing but an affectation."

This cruelty of his, with which he demolished the fabric which she had with such labor erected so as to endure the trials of her life, this injustice of his in accusing her of pretense and affectation, drove her frantic.

"It is very unfortunate that only what is low and material is comprehensible to you," she had retorted, and she left the room.

When, in the evening, he came to see her, the discussion was not resumed, but they both felt that it was not forgotten.

All this day he had not been at home; and she was so lonely and wretched, as she thought of their quarrels, that she resolved to forget everything, to ask his forgiveness, and to take the blame on herself, so as to bring about a reconciliation at any cost.

"I am to blame; I am irritable; I am absurdly jealous. I will make it up with him, and we will leave for the country, and there I shall be calmer," she thought.

"Affectation!"—nenaturalno. She suddenly remembered the word which had so affronted her, above all in his intention of causing her pain by it.