These pursuits necessitated her lunching in town every single day in the week, and, having some time still on her hands, she devoted one hour in the week to learning fencing, and then she joined a bridge class connected with her club. And truly she proved what marvelous changes an ordinary, stout, podgy, somewhat self-indulgent woman, getting near her half century, can make in herself if she chooses.
"Regina," said Alfred, one evening when she came down to dinner wearing a bewitching little confection of silk and lace, which, if he had only known it, was called a coffee-coat, "my dear, are you still going to that doctor of yours?"
"My dear girl, you are fading away, you are going to nothing, you are not as well covered as you were when we were married."
"I am not skinny, Alfred!" said Regina, with dignity.
"Skinny! God forbid! But where are you going to stop?"
"In your heart, Alfred," said Regina, looking at him very sweetly.
"But if you go on as you are at present, there won't be anything of you left to stop!"
"Oh, you don't understand. I had so given myself up to public life that I had let myself grow fat and ungainly, and I despised things that all women should think much of. But I have seen the error of my ways--and I feel as gay as a bird, as light as air. I only wish, dearest, that you would pay a little more attention to yourself."
"I? Dear, dear, dear! You don't mean to say that you want me to live on dog biscuits. I decline to do it, Regina, even to please you. I lead a busy life, although, thank God! I am able to make money. I often scamp my lunch--just taking anything that comes handy, but my good breakfast in the morning and my good dinner at night I insist upon having."
"Oh, those good dinners!" said Regina, but she said it good-naturedly, and Alfred only laughed and began to serve the soup.
"Now try a little of this, Palestine soup--your favorite."
"Why punish yourself? You are as thin as a match already."
"Dr. Money-Berry warned me against soups."
"Well, this once? I bought something for you to-day. Now, to please me you must have a little of this."
"Your sins shall be upon my head," said Alfred.
"No, I will take my sins on my own shoulders," said Regina.
It was not until the maid had left them alone that she asked him what the present was that he had bought for her that day.