"I like to hear you laugh at me,--I do, indeed. It does me good to hear your voice again with some touch of satire in it. It brings back the old days,--the days to which I hope we may soon revert without pain. Shall it not be so, dearest?"
Her playful manner at once deserted her. Why had he made this foolish attempt to be tender? "I do not know," she said, gloomily.
For a few minutes he sat silent, fingering some article belonging to her which was lying on the table. It was a small steel paper-knife, of which the handle was cast and gilt; a thing of no great value, of which the price may have been five shillings. He sat with it, passing it through his fingers, while she went on with her work.

"I like to hear you laugh at me. It does me good to hear your voice again with some touch of satire in it. It brings back the old days - the days to which I hope we may soon revert without pain. Shall it not be so, dearest?"
Her playful manner at once deserted her. "I do not know," she said, gloomily.
For a few minutes he sat silent, fingering a small steel paper-knife, of no great value, which was lying on the table. He sat with it, passing it through his fingers, while she went on with her needlework.
