Her principal duty was, as she well said, to her husband--to
love him, honour him, and keep him in a good temper. To do her justice
she fulfilled this duty to the uttermost of her power. It would have
been better perhaps if she had not so frequently assured her husband that
he was the best and wisest of mankind, for no one in his little world
ever dreamed of telling him anything else, and it was not long before he
ceased to have any doubt upon the matter. As for his temper, which had
become very violent at times, she took care to humour it on the slightest
sign of an approaching outbreak. She had early found that this was much
the easiest plan. The thunder was seldom for herself. Long before her
marriage even she had studied his little ways, and knew how to add fuel
to the fire as long as the fire seemed to want it, and then to damp it
judiciously down, making as little smoke as possible.
In money matters she was scrupulousness itself. Theobald made her a
quarterly allowance for her dress, pocket money and little charities and
presents. In these last items she was liberal in proportion to her
income; indeed she dressed with great economy and gave away whatever was
over in presents or charity.
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