“No,” said the exasperated man, “hear what? What is the meaning of all this? No, I don’t want to hear any explanation. You have violated—”
“My dear husband,” interrupted Mrs. M., “only hear me—one instant—one brief explanation.”
“None,” said he, rising from his chair. At the same time his wife rose, and approaching him, gently laid her hand upon his shoulder, and supplicated his calm and kind attention to her explanation.
“Have you purchased that clock?” he inquired.
“Husband! may be I’ve done wrong,” she replied, “but how can you judge till you hear?”
Mr. M. was a man of impulse, as the reader will readily perceive—and yet he was kind in his nature; and when reason was permitted to speak, he was disposed to listen and judge with candor.
At his wife’s request he resumed his seat. She drew her chair to his side. She explained. First she spoke of the calf, and of the ten dollars allowed her for it.
“You recollect, husband,” said she, “that only yesterday you wished it dead.”
“Ah! that, indeed,” said Mr. M., his choler beginning again to wax hot, “but I had rather lost twenty calves than patronize one of those detestable pedlers. You knew my wishes.”
“I did, my husband; and but for the opportunity of getting rid of articles absolutely valueless to us, I should never have presumed to have made such a purchase.”