154 ANOTHER OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

before her ; he felt again, as he had felt before, that
high moral tone in her, which, combined with great
re power, is the very essence of the divine
nature.

“How omnipotent is goodness! how godlike!”
he exclaimed inwardly. ‘“ How could I ever have
been worthy of her!” °

He stood, and gazed upon her, and wept like 4
child. People seemed to take no notice of him, they
were so occupied by her and by themselves.

The theatre-going world said that she had never
acted so well as on that night.

This discovery of Jessie Bannerman in the renowned
Mademoiselle Angela was not a circumstance calcu-
lated to add to Williams's matrimonial happiness. He
drew invidious comparisons between the favourite
actress and his wife, between himself-now and that
which he might havé been had he married her. He
was enraged with himself; called himself fool and
blockhead, and made himself very unhappy.

At the end of the month, as had been at first pro-
posed, Mrs. Williams insisted on their going to Paris ;
she was tired of hearing of Mademoiselle Angela ; she
did not like her husband going so continually to the
theatre, where she never accompanied him ; according -
to her notions of things, it was not right.

To Paris, therefore, they went.

‘“‘ Edward, my love,” said his wife to him one day,
not long after their arrival there, “ will you be my
father confessor ? ”

‘Can you, who are so good, have anything to con-
fess?” he exclaimed.

‘“¢ Listen,” she said, “‘and you shall hear. I was
jealous of Mademoiselle Angela.” He started. ‘Nay,