'He
came
nearer
,
and
gazed
desperately
into
her
face
.
Not
a
muscle
of
it
showed
susceptibility
to
the
old
influences
.
'
Do
you
know
,
Amy
,
'
he
added
in
a
lower
voice
,
'
that
if
we
part
now
,
we
part
for
ever
?
'
'
I
'm
afraid
that
is
only
too
likely
.
'
She
moved
aside
.
'
You
mean
that
you
wish
it
.
You
are
weary
of
me
,
and
care
for
nothing
but
how
to
make
yourself
free
.
'
'
I
shall
argue
no
more
.
I
am
tired
to
death
of
it
.
'
'
Then
say
nothing
,
but
listen
for
the
last
time
to
my
view
of
the
position
we
have
come
to
.
When
I
consented
to
leave
you
for
a
time
,
to
go
away
and
try
to
work
in
solitude
,
I
was
foolish
and
even
insincer
,
both
to
you
and
to
myself
.
I
knew
that
I
was
undertaking
the
impossible
.
It
was
just
putting
off
the
evil
day
,
that
was
all
—
putting
off
the
time
when
I
should
have
to
say
plainly
:
"
I
ca
n't
live
by
literature
,
so
I
must
look
out
for
some
other
employment
.
"
I
should
n't
have
been
so
weak
but
that
I
knew
how
you
would
regard
such
a
decision
as
that
.
I
was
afraid
to
tell
the
truth
—
afraid
.
Now
,
when
Carter
of
a
sudden
put
this
opportunity
before
me
,
I
saw
all
the
absurdity
of
the
arrangements
we
had
made
.
It
did
n't
take
me
a
moment
to
make
up
my
mind
.
Anything
was
to
be
chosen
rather
than
a
parting
from
you
on
false
pretences
,
a
ridiculous
affectation
of
hope
where
there
was
no
hope
.
'
He
paused
,
and
saw
that
his
words
had
no
effect
upon
her
.
'
And
a
grievous
share
of
the
fault
lies
with
you
,
Amy
.
You
remember
very
well
when
I
first
saw
how
dark
the
future
was
.
I
was
driven
even
to
say
that
we
ought
to
change
our
mode
of
living
;
I
asked
you
if
you
would
be
willing
to
leave
this
place
and
go
into
cheaper
rooms
.
And
you
know
what
your
answer
was
.
Not
a
sign
in
you
that
you
would
stand
by
me
if
the
worst
came
.
I
knew
then
what
I
had
to
look
forward
to
,
but
I
durst
not
believe
it
.
I
kept
saying
to
myself
:
She
loves
me
,
and
as
soon
as
she
really
understands
—
That
was
all
self-deception
.
If
I
had
been
a
wise
man
,
I
should
have
spoken
to
you
in
a
way
you
could
n't
mistake
.
I
should
have
told
you
that
we
were
living
recklessly
,
and
that
I
had
determined
to
alter
it
.
I
have
no
delicacy
?
No
regard
for
your
feelings
?
Oh
,
if
I
had
had
less
!
I
doubt
whether
you
can
even
understand
some
of
the
considerations
that
weighed
with
me
,
and
made
me
cowardly
—
though
I
once
thought
there
was
no
refinement
of
sensibility
that
you
could
n't
enter
into
.
Yes
,
I
was
absurd
enough
to
say
to
myself
:
It
will
look
as
if
I
had
consciously
deceived
her
;
she
may
suffer
from
the
thought
that
I
won
her
at
all
hazards
,
knowing
that
I
should
soon
expose
her
to
poverty
and
all
sorts
of
humiliation
.
Impossible
to
speak
of
that
again
;
I
had
to
struggle
desperately
on
,
trying
to
hope
.
Oh
!
if
you
knew
—
'
His
voice
gave
way
for
an
instant
.
'
I
do
n't
understand
how
you
could
be
so
thoughtless
and
heartless
.
You
knew
that
I
was
almost
mad
with
anxiety
at
times
.
Surely
,
any
woman
must
have
had
the
impulse
to
give
what
help
was
in
her
power
.
How
could
you
hesitate
?
Had
you
no
suspicion
of
what
a
relief
and
encouragement
it
would
be
to
me
,
if
you
said
:
Yes
,
we
must
go
and
live
in
a
simpler
way
?
If
only
as
a
proof
that
you
loved
me
,
how
I
should
have
welcomed
that
!
You
helped
me
in
nothing
.
You
threw
all
the
responsibility
upon
me
—
always
bearing
in
mind
,
I
suppose
,
that
there
was
a
refuge
for
you
.
Even
now
,
I
despise
myself
for
saying
such
things
of
you
,
though
I
know
so
bitterly
that
they
are
true
.
It
takes
a
long
time
to
see
you
as
such
a
different
woman
from
the
one
I
worshipped
.
In
passion
,
I
can
fling
out
violent
words
,
but
they
do
n't
yet
answer
to
my
actual
feeling
.
It
will
be
long
enough
yet
before
I
think
contemptuously
of
you
.
You
know
that
when
a
light
is
suddenly
extinguished
,
the
image
of
it
still
shows
before
your
eyes
.
But
at
last
comes
the
darkness
.
'
Amy
turned
towards
him
once
more
.
'
Instead
of
saying
all
this
,
you
might
be
proving
that
I
am
wrong
.
Do
so
,
and
I
will
gladly
confess
it
.
'
'
That
you
are
wrong
?
I
do
n't
see
your
meaning
.
'
'
You
might
prove
that
you
are
willing
to
do
your
utmost
to
save
me
from
humiliation
.
'
'
Amy
,
I
have
done
my
utmost
.
I
have
done
more
than
you
can
imagine
.
'
'
No
.
You
have
toiled
on
in
illness
and
anxiety
—
I
know
that
.
But
a
chance
is
offered
you
now
of
working
in
a
better
way
.
Till
that
is
tried
,
you
have
no
right
to
give
all
up
and
try
to
drag
me
down
with
you
.
'
'
I
do
n't
know
how
to
answer
.
I
have
told
you
so
often
—
You
ca
n't
understand
me
!
'
'
I
can
!
I
can
!
'
Her
voice
trembled
for
the
first
time
.
'
I
know
that
you
are
so
ready
to
give
in
to
difficulties
.
Listen
to
me
,
and
do
as
I
bid
you
.
'
She
spoke
in
the
strangest
tone
of
command
.
It
was
command
,
not
exhortation
,
but
there
was
no
harshness
in
her
voice
.
'
Go
at
once
to
Mr.
Carter
.
Tell
him
you
have
made
a
ludicrous
mistake
—
in
a
fit
of
low
spirits
;
anything
you
like
to
say
.
Tell
him
you
of
course
could
n't
dream
of
becoming
his
clerk
.
To-night
;
at
once
!
You
understand
me
,
Edwin
?
Go
now
,
this
moment
.
'
'
Have
you
determined
to
see
how
weak
I
am
?
Do
you
wish
to
be
able
to
despise
me
more
completely
still
?
'
'
I
am
determined
to
be
your
friend
,
and
to
save
you
from
yourself
.
Go
at
once
!
Leave
all
the
rest
to
me
.
If
I
have
let
things
take
their
course
till
now
,
it
sha
n't
be
so
in
future
.
The
responsibility
shall
be
with
me
.
Only
do
as
I
tell
you
.
'
'
You
know
it
's
impossible
—
'
'
It
is
not
!
I
will
find
money
.
No
one
shall
be
allowed
to
say
that
we
are
parting
;
no
one
has
any
such
idea
yet
.
You
are
going
away
for
your
health
,
just
three
summer
months
.
I
have
been
far
more
careful
of
appearances
than
you
imagine
,
but
you
give
me
credit
for
so
little
.
I
will
find
the
money
you
need
,
until
you
have
written
another
book
.
I
promise
;
I
undertake
it
.
Then
I
will
find
another
home
for
us
,
of
the
proper
kind
.
You
shall
have
no
trouble
.
You
shall
give
yourself
entirely
to
intellectual
things
.
But
Mr.
Carter
must
be
told
at
once
,
before
he
can
spread
a
report
.
If
he
has
spoken
,
he
must
contradict
what
he
has
said
.
'
'
But
you
amaze
me
,
Amy
.
Do
you
mean
to
say
that
you
look
upon
it
as
a
veritable
disgrace
,
my
taking
this
clerkship
?
'
'
I
do
.
I
ca
n't
help
my
nature
.
I
am
ashamed
through
and
through
that
you
should
sink
to
this
.
'
'
But
everyone
knows
that
I
was
a
clerk
once
!
'
'
Very
few
people
know
it
.
And
then
that
is
n't
the
same
thing
.
It
does
n't
matter
what
one
has
been
in
the
past
.
Especially
a
literary
man
;
everyone
expects
to
hear
that
he
was
once
poor
.
But
to
fall
from
the
position
you
now
have
,
and
to
take
weekly
wages
—
you
surely
ca
n't
know
how
people
of
my
world
regard
that
.
'
'
Of
your
world
?
I
had
thought
your
world
was
the
same
as
mine
,
and
knew
nothing
whatever
of
these
imbecilities
.
'
'
It
is
getting
late
.
Go
and
see
Mr.
Carter
,
and
afterwards
I
will
talk
as
much
as
you
like
.
'
He
might
perhaps
have
yielded
,
but
the
unemphasised
contempt
in
that
last
sentence
was
more
than
he
could
bear
.
It
demonstrated
to
him
more
completely
than
set
terms
could
have
done
what
a
paltry
weakling
he
would
appear
in
Amy
's
eyes
if
he
took
his
hat
down
from
the
peg
and
set
out
to
obey
her
orders
.
'
You
are
asking
too
much
,
'
he
said
,
with
unexpected
coldness
.
'
If
my
opinions
are
so
valueless
to
you
that
you
dismiss
them
like
those
of
a
troublesome
child
,
I
wonder
you
think
it
worth
while
to
try
and
keep
up
appearances
about
me
.
It
is
very
simple
:
make
known
to
everyone
that
you
are
in
no
way
connected
with
the
disgrace
I
have
brought
upon
myself
.
Put
an
advertisement
in
the
newspapers
to
that
effect
,
if
you
like
—
as
men
do
about
their
wives
debts
.
I
have
chosen
my
part
.
I
ca
n't
stultify
myself
to
please
you
.
'
She
knew
that
this
was
final
.
His
voice
had
the
true
ring
of
shame
in
revolt
.
'
Then
go
your
way
,
and
I
will
go
mine
!
'
Amy
left
the
room
.
When
Reardon
went
into
the
bedchamber
an
hour
later
,
he
unfolded
a
chair
bedstead
that
stood
there
,
threw
some
rugs
upon
it
,
and
so
lay
down
to
pass
the
night
.
He
did
not
close
his
eyes
.
Amy
slept
for
an
hour
or
two
before
dawn
,
and
on
waking
she
started
up
and
looked
anxiously
about
the
room
.
But
neither
spoke
.
There
was
a
pretence
of
ordinary
breakfast
;
the
little
servant
necessitated
that
.
When
she
saw
her
husband
preparing
to
go
out
,
Amy
asked
him
to
come
into
the
study
.
'
How
long
shall
you
be
away
?
'
she
asked
,
curtly
.
'
It
is
doubtful
.
I
am
going
to
look
for
rooms
.
'
'
Then
no
doubt
I
shall
be
gone
when
you
come
back
.
There
's
no
object
,
now
,
in
my
staying
here
till
to-morrow
.
'
'
As
you
please
.
'
'
Do
you
wish
Lizzie
still
to
come
?
'
'
No
.
Please
to
pay
her
wages
and
dismiss
her
.
Here
is
some
money
.
'
'
I
think
you
had
better
let
me
see
to
that
.
'
He
flung
the
coin
on
to
the
table
and
opened
the
door
.
Amy
stepped
quickly
forward
,
and
closed
it
again
.
'
This
is
our
good-bye
,
is
it
?
'
she
asked
,
her
eyes
on
the
ground
.
'
As
you
wish
it
—
yes
.
'
'
You
will
remember
that
I
have
not
wished
it
.
'
'
In
that
case
,
you
have
only
to
go
with
me
to
the
new
home
.
'
'
I
ca
n't
.
'
'
Then
you
have
made
your
choice
.
'
She
did
not
prevent
his
opening
the
door
this
time
,
and
he
passed
out
without
looking
at
her
.
His
return
was
at
three
in
the
afternoon
.
Amy
and
the
child
were
gone
;
the
servant
was
gone
.
The
table
in
the
dining-room
was
spread
as
if
for
one
person
's
meal
.
He
went
into
the
bedroom
.
Amy
's
trunk
had
disappeared
.
The
child
's
cot
was
covered
over
.
In
the
study
,
he
saw
that
the
sovereign
he
had
thrown
on
to
the
table
still
lay
in
the
same
place
.
As
it
was
a
very
cold
day
he
lit
a
fire
.
Whilst
it
burnt
up
he
sat
reading
a
torn
portion
of
a
newspaper
,
and
became
quite
interested
in
the
report
of
a
commercial
meeting
in
the
City
,
a
thing
he
would
never
have
glanced
at
under
ordinary
circumstances
.
The
fragment
fell
at
length
from
his
hands
;
his
head
drooped
;
he
sank
into
a
troubled
sleep
.
About
six
he
had
tea
,
then
began
the
packing
of
the
few
books
that
were
to
go
with
him
,
and
of
such
other
things
as
could
be
enclosed
in
box
or
portmanteau
.
After
a
couple
of
hours
of
this
occupation
he
could
no
longer
resist
his
weariness
,
so
he
went
to
bed
.
Before
falling
asleep
he
heard
the
two
familiar
clocks
strike
eight
;
this
evening
they
were
in
unusual
accord
,
and
the
querulous
notes
from
the
workhouse
sounded
between
the
deeper
ones
from
St.
Marylebone
.
Reardon
tried
to
remember
when
he
had
last
observed
this
;
the
matter
seemed
to
have
a
peculiar
interest
for
him
,
and
in
dreams
he
worried
himself
with
a
grotesque
speculation
thence
derived
.
CHAPTER
XVIII
THE
OLD
HOME
Before
her
marriage
Mrs.
Edmund
Yule
was
one
of
seven
motherless
sisters
who
constituted
the
family
of
a
dentist
slenderly
provided
in
the
matter
of
income
.
The
pinching
and
paring
which
was
a
chief
employment
of
her
energies
in
those
early
days
had
disagreeable
effects
upon
a
character
disposed
rather
to
generosity
than
the
reverse
;
during
her
husband
's
lifetime
she
had
enjoyed
rather
too
eagerly
all
the
good
things
which
he
put
at
her
command
,
sometimes
forgetting
that
a
wife
has
duties
as
well
as
claims
,
and
in
her
widowhood
she
indulged
a
pretentiousness
and
querulousness
which
were
the
natural
,
but
not
amiable
,
results
of
suddenly
restricted
circumstances
.
Like
the
majority
of
London
people
,
she
occupied
a
house
of
which
the
rent
absurdly
exceeded
the
due
proportion
of
her
income
,
a
pleasant
foible
turned
to
such
good
account
by
London
landlords
.
Whereas
she
might
have
lived
with
a
good
deal
of
modest
comfort
,
her
existence
was
a
perpetual
effort
to
conceal
the
squalid
background
of
what
was
meant
for
the
eyes
of
her
friends
and
neighbours
.
She
kept
only
two
servants
,
who
were
so
ill
paid
and
so
relentlessly
overworked
that
it
was
seldom
they
remained
with
her
for
more
than
three
months
.
In
dealings
with
other
people
whom
she
perforce
employed
she
was
often
guilty
of
incredible
meanness
;
as
,
for
instance
,
when
she
obliged
her
half-starved
dressmaker
to
purchase
material
for
her
,
and
then
postponed
payment
alike
for
that
and
for
the
work
itself
to
the
last
possible
moment
.
This
was
not
heartlessness
in
the
strict
sense
of
the
word
;
the
woman
not
only
knew
that
her
behaviour
was
shameful
,
she
was
in
truth
ashamed
of
it
and
sorry
for
her
victims
.
But
life
was
a
battle
.
She
must
either
crush
or
be
crushed
.
With
sufficient
means
,
she
would
have
defrauded
no
one
,
and
would
have
behaved
generously
to
many
;
with
barely
enough
for
her
needs
,
she
set
her
face
and
defied
her
feelings
,
inasmuch
as
she
believed
there
was
no
choice
.
She
would
shed
tears
over
a
pitiful
story
of
want
,
and
without
shadow
of
hypocrisy
.
It
was
hard
,
it
was
cruel
;
such
things
ought
n't
to
be
allowed
in
a
world
where
there
were
so
many
rich
people
.
The
next
day
she
would
argue
with
her
charwoman
about
halfpence
,
and
end
by
paying
the
poor
creature
what
she
knew
was
inadequate
and
unjust
.
For
the
simplest
reason
:
she
had
n't
more
to
give
,
without
submitting
to
privations
which
she
considered
intolerable
.
But
whilst
she
could
be
a
positive
hyena
to
strangers
,
to
those
who
were
akin
to
her
,
and
those
of
whom
she
was
fond
,
her
affectionate
kindness
was
remarkable
.
One
observes
this
peculiarity
often
enough
;
it
reminds
one
how
savage
the
social
conflict
is
,
in
which
those
little
groups
of
people
stand
serried
against
their
common
enemies
;
relentless
to
all
others
,
among
themselves
only
the
more
tender
and
zealous
because
of
the
ever-impending
danger
.
No
mother
was
ever
more
devoted
.
Her
son
,
a
gentleman
of
quite
noteworthy
selfishness
,
had
board
and
lodging
beneath
her
roof
on
nominal
terms
,
and
under
no
stress
of
pecuniary
trouble
had
Mrs.
Yule
called
upon
him
to
make
the
slightest
sacrifice
on
her
behalf
.
Her
daughter
she
loved
with
profound
tenderness
,
and
had
no
will
that
was
opposed
to
Amy
's
.
And
it
was
characteristic
of
her
that
her
children
were
never
allowed
to
understand
of
what
baseness
she
often
became
guilty
in
the
determination
to
support
appearances
.
John
Yule
naturally
suspected
what
went
on
behind
the
scenes
;
on
one
occasion
—
since
Amy
's
marriage
—
he
had
involuntarily
overheard
a
dialogue
between
his
mother
and
a
servant
on
the
point
of
departing
which
made
even
him
feel
ashamed
.
But
from
Amy
every
paltriness
and
meanness
had
always
been
concealed
with
the
utmost
care
;
Mrs.
Yule
did
not
scruple
to
lie
heroically
when
in
danger
of
being
detected
by
her
daughter
.
Yet
this
energetic
lady
had
no
social
ambitions
that
pointed
above
her
own
stratum
.
She
did
not
aim
at
intimacy
with
her
superiors
;
merely
at
superiority
among
her
intimates
.
Her
circle
was
not
large
,
but
in
that
circle
she
must
be
regarded
with
the
respect
due
to
a
woman
of
refined
tastes
and
personal
distinction
.
Her
little
dinners
might
be
of
rare
occurrence
,
but
to
be
invited
must
be
felt
a
privilege
.
'
Mrs
.
Edmund
Yule
'
must
sound
well
on
people
's
lips
;
never
be
the
occasion
of
those
peculiar
smiles
which
she
herself
was
rather
fond
of
indulging
at
the
mention
of
other
people
's
names
.
The
question
of
Amy
's
marriage
had
been
her
constant
thought
from
the
time
when
the
little
girl
shot
into
a
woman
grown
.
For
Amy
no
common
match
,
no
acceptance
of
a
husband
merely
for
money
or
position
.
Few
men
who
walked
the
earth
were
mates
for
Amy
.
But
years
went
on
,
and
the
man
of
undeniable
distinction
did
not
yet
present
himself
.
Suitors
offered
,
but
Amy
smiled
coldly
at
their
addresses
,
in
private
not
seldom
scornfully
,
and
her
mother
,
though
growing
anxious
,
approved
.
Then
of
a
sudden
appeared
Edwin
Reardon
.
A
literary
man
?
Well
,
it
was
one
mode
of
distinction
.
Happily
,
a
novelist
;
novelists
now
and
then
had
considerable
social
success
.
Mr.
Reardon
,
it
was
true
,
did
not
impress
one
as
a
man
likely
to
push
forward
where
the
battle
called
for
rude
vigour
,
but
Amy
soon
assured
herself
that
he
would
have
a
reputation
far
other
than
that
of
the
average
successful
story-teller
.
The
best
people
would
regard
him
;
he
would
be
welcomed
in
the
penetralia
of
culture
;
superior
persons
would
say
:
'
Oh
,
I
do
n't
read
novels
as
a
rule
,
but
of
course
Mr.
Reardon
's
—
'
If
that
really
were
to
be
the
case
,
all
was
well
;
for
Mrs.
Yule
could
appreciate
social
and
intellectual
differences
.
Alas
!
alas
!
What
was
the
end
of
those
shining
anticipations
?
First
of
all
,
Mrs.
Yule
began
to
make
less
frequent
mention
of
'
my
son-in-law
,
Mr.
Edwin
Reardon
.
'
Next
,
she
never
uttered
his
name
save
when
inquiries
necessitated
it
.
Then
,
the
most
intimate
of
her
intimates
received
little
hints
which
were
not
quite
easy
to
interpret
.
'
Mr
.
Reardon
is
growing
so
very
eccentric
—
has
an
odd
distaste
for
society
—
occupies
himself
with
all
sorts
of
out-of-the-way
interests
.
No
,
I
'm
afraid
we
sha
n't
have
another
of
his
novels
for
some
time
.
I
think
he
writes
anonymously
a
good
deal
.
And
really
,
such
curious
eccentricities
!
'
Many
were
the
tears
she
wept
after
her
depressing
colloquies
with
Amy
;
and
,
as
was
to
be
expected
,
she
thought
severely
of
the
cause
of
these
sorrows
.
On
the
last
occasion
when
he
came
to
her
house
she
received
him
with
such
extreme
civility
that
Reardon
thenceforth
disliked
her
,
whereas
before
he
had
only
thought
her
a
good-natured
and
silly
woman
.
Alas
for
Amy
's
marriage
with
a
man
of
distinction
!
From
step
to
step
of
descent
,
till
here
was
downright
catastrophe
.
Bitter
enough
in
itself
,
but
most
lamentable
with
reference
to
the
friends
of
the
family
.
How
was
it
to
be
explained
,
this
return
of
Amy
to
her
home
for
several
months
,
whilst
her
husband
was
no
further
away
than
Worthing
?
The
bald
,
horrible
truth
—
impossible
!
Yet
Mr.
Milvain
knew
it
,
and
the
Carters
must
guess
it
.
What
colour
could
be
thrown
upon
such
vulgar
distress
?
The
worst
was
not
yet
.
It
declared
itself
this
May
morning
,
when
,
quite
unexpectedly
,
a
cab
drove
up
to
the
house
,
bringing
Amy
and
her
child
,
and
her
trunks
,
and
her
band-boxes
,
and
her
what-nots
.
From
the
dining-room
window
Mrs.
Yule
was
aware
of
this
arrival
,
and
in
a
few
moments
she
learnt
the
unspeakable
cause
.
She
burst
into
tears
,
genuine
as
ever
woman
shed
.
'
There
's
no
use
in
that
,
mother
,
'
said
Amy
,
whose
temper
was
in
a
dangerous
state
.
'
Nothing
worse
can
happen
,
that
's
one
consolation
.
'
'
Oh
,
it
's
disgraceful
!
disgraceful
!
'
sobbed
Mrs.
Yule
.
'
What
we
are
to
say
I
can
not
think
.
'
'
I
shall
say
nothing
whatever
.
People
can
scarcely
have
the
impertinence
to
ask
us
questions
when
we
have
shown
that
they
are
unwelcome
.
'
'
But
there
are
some
people
I
ca
n't
help
giving
some
explanation
to
.
My
dear
child
,
he
is
not
in
his
right
mind
.
I
'm
convinced
of
it
,
there
!
He
is
not
in
his
right
mind
.
'
'
That
's
nonsense
,
mother
.
He
is
as
sane
as
I
am
.
'
'
But
you
have
often
said
what
strange
things
he
says
and
does
;
you
know
you
have
,
Amy
.
That
talking
in
his
sleep
;
I
've
thought
a
great
deal
of
it
since
you
told
me
about
that
.
And
—
and
so
many
other
things
.
My
love
,
I
shall
give
it
to
be
understood
that
he
has
become
so
very
odd
in
his
ways
that
—
'
'
I
ca
n't
have
that
,
'
replied
Amy
with
decision
.
'
Do
n't
you
see
that
in
that
case
I
should
be
behaving
very
badly
?
'
'
I
ca
n't
see
that
at
all
.
There
are
many
reasons
,
as
you
know
very
well
,
why
one
should
n't
live
with
a
husband
who
is
at
all
suspected
of
mental
derangement
.
You
have
done
your
utmost
for
him
.
And
this
would
be
some
sort
of
explanation
,
you
know
.
I
am
so
convinced
that
there
is
truth
in
it
,
too
.
'
'
Of
course
I
ca
n't
prevent
you
from
saying
what
you
like
,
but
I
think
it
would
be
very
wrong
to
start
a
rumour
of
this
kind
.
'
There
was
less
resolve
in
this
utterance
.
Amy
mused
,
and
looked
wretched
.
'
Come
up
to
the
drawing-room
,
dear
,
'
said
her
mother
,
for
they
had
held
their
conversation
in
the
room
nearest
to
the
house-door
.
'
What
a
state
your
mind
must
be
in
!
Oh
dear
!
Oh
dear
!
'
She
was
a
slender
,
well-proportioned
woman
,
still
pretty
in
face
,
and
dressed
in
a
way
that
emphasised
her
abiding
charms
.
Her
voice
had
something
of
plaintiveness
,
and
altogether
she
was
of
frailer
type
than
her
daughter
.
'
Is
my
room
ready
?
'
Amy
inquired
on
the
stairs
.
'
I
'm
sorry
to
say
it
is
n't
,
dear
,
as
I
did
n't
expect
you
till
to-morrow
.
But
it
shall
be
seen
to
immediately
.
'
This
addition
to
the
household
was
destined
to
cause
grave
difficulties
with
the
domestic
slaves
.
But
Mrs.
Yule
would
prove
equal
to
the
occasion
.
On
Amy
's
behalf
she
would
have
worked
her
servants
till
they
perished
of
exhaustion
before
her
eyes
.
'
Use
my
room
for
the
present
,
'
she
added
.
'
I
think
the
girl
has
finished
up
there
.
But
wait
here
;
I
'll
just
go
and
see
to
things
.
'
'
Things
'
were
not
quite
satisfactory
,
as
it
proved
.
You
should
have
heard
the
change
that
came
in
that
sweetly
plaintive
voice
when
it
addressed
the
luckless
housemaid
.
It
was
not
brutal
;
not
at
all
.
But
so
sharp
,
hard
,
unrelenting
—
the
voice
of
the
goddess
Poverty
herself
perhaps
sounds
like
that
.
Mad
?
Was
he
to
be
spoken
of
in
a
low
voice
,
and
with
finger
pointing
to
the
forehead
?
There
was
something
ridiculous
,
as
well
as
repugnant
,
in
such
a
thought
;
but
it
kept
possession
of
Amy
's
mind
.
She
was
brooding
upon
it
when
her
mother
came
into
the
drawing-room
.
'
And
he
positively
refused
to
carry
out
the
former
plan
?
'
'
Refused
.
Said
it
was
useless
.
'
'
How
could
it
be
useless
?
There
's
something
so
unaccountable
in
his
behaviour
.
'
'
I
do
n't
think
it
unaccountable
,
'
replied
Amy
.
'
It
's
weak
and
selfish
,
that
's
all
.
He
takes
the
first
miserable
employment
that
offers
rather
than
face
the
hard
work
of
writing
another
book
.
'
She
was
quite
aware
that
this
did
not
truly
represent
her
husband
's
position
.
But
an
uneasiness
of
conscience
impelled
her
to
harsh
speech
.
'
But
just
fancy
!
'
exclaimed
her
mother
.
'
What
can
he
mean
by
asking
you
to
go
and
live
with
him
on
twenty-five
shillings
a
week
?
Upon
my
word
,
if
his
mind
is
n't
disordered
he
must
have
made
a
deliberate
plan
to
get
rid
of
you
.
'
Amy
shook
her
head
.
'
You
mean
,
'
asked
Mrs.
Yule
,
'
that
he
really
thinks
it
possible
for
all
of
you
to
be
supported
on
those
wages
?
'
The
last
word
was
chosen
to
express
the
utmost
scorn
.
'
He
talked
of
earning
fifty
pounds
a
year
by
writing
.
'
'
Even
then
it
could
only
make
about
a
hundred
a
year
.
My
dear
child
,
it
's
one
of
two
things
:
either
he
is
out
of
his
mind
,
or
he
has
purposely
cast
you
off
.
'
Amy
laughed
,
thinking
of
her
husband
in
the
light
of
the
latter
alternative
.
'
There
's
no
need
to
seek
so
far
for
explanations
,
'
she
said
.
'
He
has
failed
,
that
's
all
;
just
like
a
man
might
fail
in
any
other
business
.
He
ca
n't
write
like
he
used
to
.
It
may
be
all
the
result
of
ill-health
;
I
do
n't
know
.
His
last
book
,
you
see
,
is
positively
refused
.
He
has
made
up
his
mind
that
there
's
nothing
but
poverty
before
him
,
and
he
ca
n't
understand
why
I
should
object
to
live
like
the
wife
of
a
working-man
.
'
'
Well
,
I
only
know
that
he
has
placed
you
in
an
exceedingly
difficult
position
.
If
he
had
gone
away
to
Worthing
for
the
summer
we
might
have
made
it
seem
natural
;
people
are
always
ready
to
allow
literary
men
to
do
rather
odd
things
—
up
to
a
certain
point
.
We
should
have
behaved
as
if
there
were
nothing
that
called
for
explanation
.
But
what
are
we
to
do
now
?
'
Like
her
multitudinous
kind
,
Mrs.
Yule
lived
only
in
the
opinions
of
other
people
.
What
others
would
say
was
her
ceaseless
preoccupation
.
She
had
never
conceived
of
life
as
something
proper
to
the
individual
;
independence
in
the
directing
of
one
's
course
seemed
to
her
only
possible
in
the
case
of
very
eccentric
persons
,
or
of
such
as
were
altogether
out
of
society
.
Amy
had
advanced
,
intellectually
,
far
beyond
this
standpoint
,
but
lack
of
courage
disabled
her
from
acting
upon
her
convictions
.
'
People
must
know
the
truth
,
I
suppose
,
'
she
answered
dispiritedly
.
Now
,
confession
of
the
truth
was
the
last
thing
that
would
occur
to
Mrs.
Yule
when
social
relations
were
concerned
.
Her
whole
existence
was
based
on
bold
denial
of
actualities
.
And
,
as
is
natural
in
such
persons
,
she
had
the
ostrich
instinct
strongly
developed
;
though
very
acute
in
the
discovery
of
her
friends
'
shams
and
lies
,
she
deceived
herself
ludicrously
in
the
matter
of
concealing
her
own
embarrassments
.
'
But
the
fact
is
,
my
dear
,
'
she
answered
,
'
we
do
n't
know
the
truth
ourselves
.
You
had
better
let
yourself
be
directed
by
me
.
It
will
be
better
,
at
first
,
if
you
see
as
few
people
as
possible
.
I
suppose
you
must
say
something
or
other
to
two
or
three
of
your
own
friends
;
if
you
take
my
advice
you
'll
be
rather
mysterious
.
Let
them
think
what
they
like
;
anything
is
better
than
to
say
plainly
:
"
My
husband
ca
n't
support
me
,
and
he
has
gone
to
work
as
a
clerk
for
weekly
wages
.
"
Be
mysterious
,
darling
;
depend
upon
it
,
that
's
the
safest
.
'
The
conversation
was
pursued
,
with
brief
intervals
,
all
through
the
day
.
In
the
afternoon
two
ladies
paid
a
call
,
but
Amy
kept
out
of
sight
.
Between
six
and
seven
John
Yule
returned
from
his
gentlemanly
occupations
.
As
he
was
generally
in
a
touchy
temper
before
dinner
had
soothed
him
,
nothing
was
said
to
him
of
the
latest
development
of
his
sister
's
affairs
until
late
in
the
evening
;
he
was
allowed
to
suppose
that
Reardon
's
departure
for
the
seaside
had
taken
place
a
day
sooner
than
had
been
arranged
.
Behind
the
dining-room
was
a
comfortable
little
chamber
set
apart
as
John
's
sanctum
;
here
he
smoked
and
entertained
his
male
friends
,
and
contemplated
the
portraits
of
those
female
ones
who
would
not
have
been
altogether
at
their
ease
in
Mrs.
Yule
's
drawing-room
.
Not
long
after
dinner
his
mother
and
sister
came
to
talk
with
him
in
this
retreat
.
With
some
nervousness
Mrs.
Yule
made
known
to
him
what
had
taken
place
.
Amy
,
the
while
,
stood
by
the
table
,
and
glanced
over
a
magazine
that
she
had
picked
up
.
'
Well
,
I
see
nothing
to
be
surprised
at
,
'
was
John
's
first
remark
.
'
It
was
pretty
certain
he
'd
come
to
this
.
But
what
I
want
to
know
is
,
how
long
are
we
to
be
at
the
expense
of
supporting
Amy
and
her
youngster
?
'
This
was
practical
,
and
just
what
Mrs.
Yule
had
expected
from
her
son
.
'
We
ca
n't
consider
such
things
as
that
,
'
she
replied
.
'
You
do
n't
wish
,
I
suppose
,
that
Amy
should
go
and
live
in
a
back
street
at
Islington
,
and
be
hungry
every
other
day
,
and
soon
have
no
decent
clothes
?
'
'
I
do
n't
think
Jack
would
be
greatly
distressed
,
'
Amy
put
in
quietly
.
'
This
is
a
woman
's
way
of
talking
,
'
replied
John
.
'
I
want
to
know
what
is
to
be
the
end
of
it
all
?
I
've
no
doubt
it
's
uncommonly
pleasant
for
Reardon
to
shift
his
responsibilities
on
to
our
shoulders
.
At
this
rate
I
think
I
shall
get
married
,
and
live
beyond
my
means
until
I
can
hold
out
no
longer
,
and
then
hand
my
wife
over
to
her
relatives
,
with
my
compliments
.
It
's
about
the
coolest
business
that
ever
came
under
my
notice
.
'
'
But
what
is
to
be
done
?
'
asked
Mrs.
Yule
.
'
It
's
no
use
talking
sarcastically
,
John
,
or
making
yourself
disagreeable
.
'
'
We
are
not
called
upon
to
find
a
way
out
of
the
difficulty
.
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
,
Reardon
must
get
a
decent
berth
.
Somebody
or
other
must
pitch
him
into
the
kind
of
place
that
suits
men
who
can
do
nothing
in
particular
.
Carter
ought
to
be
able
to
help
,
I
should
think
.
'
'
You
know
very
well
,
'
said
Amy
,
'
that
places
of
that
kind
are
not
to
be
had
for
the
asking
.
It
may
be
years
before
any
such
opportunity
offers
.
'
'
Confound
the
fellow
!
Why
the
deuce
does
n't
he
go
on
with
his
novel-writing
?
There
's
plenty
of
money
to
be
made
out
of
novels
.
'
'
But
he
ca
n't
write
,
Jack
.
He
has
lost
his
talent
.
'
'
That
's
all
bosh
,
Amy
.
If
a
fellow
has
once
got
into
the
swing
of
it
he
can
keep
it
up
if
he
likes
.
He
might
write
his
two
novels
a
year
easily
enough
,
just
like
twenty
other
men
and
women
.
Look
here
,
I
could
do
it
myself
if
I
were
n't
too
lazy
.
And
that
's
what
's
the
matter
with
Reardon
.
He
does
n't
care
to
work
.
'
'
I
have
thought
that
myself
,
'
observed
Mrs.
Yule
.
'
It
really
is
too
ridiculous
to
say
that
he
could
n't
write
some
kind
of
novels
if
he
chose
.
Look
at
Miss
Blunt
's
last
book
;
why
,
anybody
could
have
written
that
.
I
'm
sure
there
is
n't
a
thing
in
it
I
could
n't
have
imagined
myself
.
'
'
Well
,
all
I
want
to
know
is
,
what
's
Amy
going
to
do
if
things
do
n't
alter
?
'
'
She
shall
never
want
a
home
as
long
as
I
have
one
to
share
with
her
.
'
John
's
natural
procedure
,
when
beset
by
difficulties
,
was
to
find
fault
with
everyone
all
round
,
himself
maintaining
a
position
of
irresponsibility
.
'
It
's
all
very
well
,
mother
,
but
when
a
girl
gets
married
she
takes
her
husband
,
I
have
always
understood
,
for
better
or
worse
,
just
as
a
man
takes
his
wife
.
To
tell
the
truth
,
it
seems
to
me
Amy
has
put
herself
in
the
wrong
.
It
's
deuced
unpleasant
to
go
and
live
in
back
streets
,
and
to
go
without
dinner
now
and
then
,
but
girls
must
n't
marry
if
they
're
afraid
to
face
these
things
.
'
'
Do
n't
talk
so
monstrously
,
John
!
'
exclaimed
his
mother
.
'
How
could
Amy
possibly
foresee
such
things
?
The
case
is
quite
an
extraordinary
one
.
'
'
Not
so
uncommon
,
I
assure
you
.
Some
one
was
telling
me
the
other
day
of
a
married
lady
—
well
educated
and
blameless
—
who
goes
to
work
at
a
shop
somewhere
or
other
because
her
husband
ca
n't
support
her
.
'
'
And
you
wish
to
see
Amy
working
in
a
shop
?
'
'
No
,
I
ca
n't
say
I
do
.
I
'm
only
telling
you
that
her
bad
luck
is
n't
unexampled
.
It
's
very
fortunate
for
her
that
she
has
good-natured
relatives
.
'
Amy
had
taken
a
seat
apart
.
She
sat
with
her
head
leaning
on
her
hand
.
'
Why
do
n't
you
go
and
see
Reardone
?
'
John
asked
of
his
mother
.
'
What
would
be
the
use
?
Perhaps
he
would
tell
me
to
mind
my
own
business
.
'
'
By
jingo
!
precisely
what
you
would
be
doing
.
I
think
you
ought
to
see
him
and
give
him
to
understand
that
he
's
behaving
in
a
confoundedly
ungentlemanly
way
.
Evidently
he
's
the
kind
of
fellow
that
wants
stirring
up
.
I
've
half
a
mind
to
go
and
see
him
myself
.
Where
is
this
slum
that
he
's
gone
to
live
in
?
'
'
We
do
n't
know
his
address
yet
.
'
'
So
long
as
it
's
not
the
kind
of
place
where
one
would
be
afraid
of
catching
a
fever
,
I
think
it
would
n't
be
amiss
for
me
to
look
him
up
.
'
'
You
'll
do
no
good
by
that
,
'
said
Amy
,
indifferently
.
'
Confound
it
!
It
's
just
because
nobody
does
anything
that
things
have
come
to
this
pass
!
'
The
conversation
was
,
of
course
,
profitless
.
John
could
only
return
again
and
again
to
his
assertion
that
Reardon
must
get
'
a
decent
berth
.
'
At
length
Amy
left
the
room
in
weariness
and
disgust
.
'
I
suppose
they
have
quarrelled
terrifically
,
'
said
her
brother
,
as
soon
as
she
was
gone
.
'
I
am
afraid
so
.
'
'
Well
,
you
must
do
as
you
please
.
But
it
's
confounded
hard
lines
that
you
should
have
to
keep
her
and
the
kid
.
You
know
I
ca
n't
afford
to
contribute
.
'
'
My
dear
,
I
have
n't
asked
you
to
.
'
'
No
,
but
you
'll
have
the
devil
's
own
job
to
make
ends
meet
;
I
know
that
well
enough
.
'
'
I
shall
manage
somehow
.
'
'
All
right
;
you
're
a
plucky
woman
,
but
it
's
too
bad
.
Reardon
's
a
humbug
,
that
's
my
opinion
.
I
shall
have
a
talk
with
Carter
about
him
.
I
suppose
he
has
transferred
all
their
furniture
to
the
slum
?
'
'
He
ca
n't
have
removed
yet
.
It
was
only
this
morning
that
he
went
to
search
for
lodgings
.
'
'
Oh
,
then
I
tell
you
what
it
is
;
I
shall
look
in
there
the
first
thing
to-morrow
morning
,
and
just
talk
to
him
in
a
fatherly
way
.
You
need
n't
say
anything
to
Amy
.
But
I
see
he
's
just
the
kind
of
fellow
that
,
if
everyone
leaves
him
alone
,
he
'll
be
content
with
Carter
's
five-and-twenty
shillings
for
the
rest
of
his
life
,
and
never
trouble
his
head
about
how
Amy
is
living
.
'
To
this
proposal
Mrs.
Yule
readily
assented
.
On
going
upstairs
she
found
that
Amy
had
all
but
fallen
asleep
upon
a
settee
in
the
drawing-room
.
'
You
are
quite
worn
out
with
your
troubles
,
'
she
said
.
'
Go
to
bed
,
and
have
a
good
long
sleep
.
'
'
Yes
,
I
will
.
'
The
neat
,
fresh
bedchamber
seemed
to
Amy
a
delightful
haven
of
rest
.
She
turned
the
key
in
the
door
with
an
enjoyment
of
the
privacy
thus
secured
such
as
she
had
never
known
in
her
life
;
for
in
maidenhood
safe
solitude
was
a
matter
of
course
to
her
,
and
since
marriage
she
had
not
passed
a
night
alone
.
Willie
was
fast
asleep
in
a
little
bed
shadowed
by
her
own
.
In
an
impulse
of
maternal
love
and
gladness
she
bent
over
the
child
and
covered
his
face
with
kisses
too
gentle
to
awaken
him
.
How
clean
and
sweet
everything
was
!
It
is
often
said
,
by
people
who
are
exquisitely
ignorant
of
the
matter
,
that
cleanliness
is
a
luxury
within
reach
even
of
the
poorest
.
Very
far
from
that
;
only
with
the
utmost
difficulty
,
with
wearisome
exertion
,
with
harassing
sacrifice
,
can
people
who
are
pinched
for
money
preserve
a
moderate
purity
in
their
persons
and
their
surroundings
.
By
painful
degrees
Amy
had
accustomed
herself
to
compromises
in
this
particular
which
in
the
early
days
of
her
married
life
would
have
seemed
intensely
disagreeable
,
if
not
revolting
.
A
housewife
who
lives
in
the
country
,
and
has
but
a
patch
of
back
garden
,
or
even
a
good-sized
kitchen
,
can
,
if
she
thinks
fit
,
take
her
place
at
the
wash-tub
and
relieve
her
mind
on
laundry
matters
;
but
to
the
inhabitant
of
a
miniature
flat
in
the
heart
of
London
anything
of
that
kind
is
out
of
the
question
.
When
Amy
began
to
cut
down
her
laundress
's
bill
,
she
did
it
with
a
sense
of
degradation
.
One
grows
accustomed
,
however
,
to
such
unpleasant
necessities
,
and
already
she
had
learnt
what
was
the
minimum
of
expenditure
for
one
who
is
troubled
with
a
lady
's
instincts
.
No
,
no
;
cleanliness
is
a
costly
thing
,
and
a
troublesome
thing
when
appliances
and
means
have
to
be
improvised
.
It
was
,
in
part
,
the
understanding
she
had
gained
of
this
side
of
the
life
of
poverty
that
made
Amy
shrink
in
dread
from
the
still
narrower
lodgings
to
which
Reardon
invited
her
.
She
knew
how
subtly
one
's
self-respect
can
be
undermined
by
sordid
conditions
.
The
difference
between
the
life
of
well-to-do
educated
people
and
that
of
the
uneducated
poor
is
not
greater
in
visible
details
than
in
the
minutiæ
of
privacy
,
and
Amy
must
have
submitted
to
an
extraordinary
change
before
it
would
have
been
possible
for
her
to
live
at
ease
in
the
circumstances
which
satisfy
a
decent
working-class
woman
.
She
was
prepared
for
final
parting
from
her
husband
rather
than
try
to
effect
that
change
in
herself
.
She
undressed
at
leisure
,
and
stretched
her
limbs
in
the
cold
,
soft
,
fragrant
bed
.
A
sigh
of
profound
relief
escaped
her
.
How
good
it
was
to
be
alone
!
And
in
a
quarter
of
an
hour
she
was
sleeping
as
peacefully
as
the
child
who
shared
her
room
.
At
breakfast
in
the
morning
she
showed
a
bright
,
almost
a
happy
face
.
It
was
long
,
long
since
she
had
enjoyed
such
a
night
's
rest
,
so
undisturbed
with
unwelcome
thoughts
on
the
threshold
of
sleep
and
on
awaking
.
Her
life
was
perhaps
wrecked
,
but
the
thought
of
that
did
not
press
upon
her
;
for
the
present
she
must
enjoy
her
freedom
.
It
was
like
a
recovery
of
girlhood
.
There
are
few
married
women
who
would
not
,
sooner
or
later
,
accept
with
joy
the
offer
of
some
months
of
a
maidenly
liberty
.
Amy
would
not
allow
herself
to
think
that
her
wedded
life
was
at
an
end
.
With
a
woman
's
strange
faculty
of
closing
her
eyes
against
facts
that
do
not
immediately
concern
her
,
she
tasted
the
relief
of
the
present
and
let
the
future
lie
unregarded
.
Reardon
would
get
out
of
his
difficulties
sooner
or
later
;
somebody
or
other
would
help
him
;
that
was
the
dim
background
of
her
agreeable
sensations
.
He
suffered
,
no
doubt
.
But
then
it
was
just
as
well
that
he
should
.
Suffering
would
perhaps
impel
him
to
effort
.
When
he
communicated
to
her
his
new
address
—
he
could
scarcely
neglect
to
do
that
—
she
would
send
a
not
unfriendly
letter
,
and
hint
to
him
that
now
was
his
opportunity
for
writing
a
book
,
as
good
a
book
as
those
which
formerly
issued
from
his
garret-solitude
.
If
he
found
that
literature
was
in
truth
a
thing
of
the
past
with
him
,
then
he
must
exert
himself
to
obtain
a
position
worthy
of
an
educated
man
.
Yes
,
in
this
way
she
would
write
to
him
,
without
a
word
that
could
hurt
or
offend
.
She
ate
an
excellent
breakfast
,
and
made
known
her
enjoyment
of
it
.
'
I
am
so
glad
!
'
replied
her
mother
.
'
You
have
been
getting
quite
thin
and
pale
.
'
'
Quite
consumptive
,
'
remarked
John
,
looking
up
from
his
newspaper
.
'
Shall
I
make
arrangements
for
a
daily
landau
at
the
livery
stables
round
here
?
'
'
You
can
if
you
like
,
'
replied
his
sister
;
'
it
would
do
both
mother
and
me
good
,
and
I
have
no
doubt
you
could
afford
it
quite
well
.
'
'
Oh
indeed
!
You
're
a
remarkable
young
woman
,
let
me
tell
you
.
By-the-by
,
I
suppose
your
husband
is
breakfasting
on
bread
and
water
?
'
'
I
hope
not
,
and
I
do
n't
think
it
very
likely
.
'
'
Jack
,
Jack
!
'
interposed
Mrs.
Yule
,
softly
.
Her
son
resumed
his
paper
,
and
at
the
end
of
the
meal
rose
with
an
unwonted
briskness
to
make
his
preparations
for
departure
.
CHAPTER
XIX
THE
PAST
REVIVED
Nor
would
it
be
true
to
represent
Edwin
Reardon
as
rising
to
the
new
day
wholly
disconsolate
.
He
too
had
slept
unusually
well
,
and
with
returning
consciousness
the
sense
of
a
burden
removed
was
more
instant
than
that
of
his
loss
and
all
the
dreary
circumstances
attaching
to
it
.
He
had
no
longer
to
fear
the
effects
upon
Amy
of
such
a
grievous
change
as
from
their
homelike
flat
to
the
couple
of
rooms
he
had
taken
in
Islington
;
for
the
moment
,
this
relief
helped
him
to
bear
the
pain
of
all
that
had
happened
and
the
uneasiness
which
troubled
him
when
he
reflected
that
his
wife
was
henceforth
a
charge
to
her
mother
.
Of
course
for
the
moment
only
.
He
had
no
sooner
begun
to
move
about
,
to
prepare
his
breakfast
(
amid
the
relics
of
last
evening
's
meal
)
,
to
think
of
all
the
detestable
work
he
had
to
do
before
to-morrow
night
,
than
his
heart
sank
again
.
His
position
was
well
nigh
as
dolorous
as
that
of
any
man
who
awoke
that
morning
to
the
brutal
realities
of
life
.
If
only
for
the
shame
of
it
!
How
must
they
be
speaking
of
him
,
Amy
's
relatives
,
and
her
friends
?
A
novelist
who
could
n't
write
novels
;
a
husband
who
could
n't
support
his
wife
and
child
;
a
literate
who
made
eager
application
for
illiterate
work
at
paltry
wages
—
how
interesting
it
would
all
sound
in
humorous
gossip
!
And
what
hope
had
he
that
things
would
ever
be
better
with
him
?
Had
he
done
well
?
Had
he
done
wisely
?
Would
it
not
have
been
better
to
have
made
that
one
last
effort
?
There
came
before
him
a
vision
of
quiet
nooks
beneath
the
Sussex
cliffs
,
of
the
long
lines
of
green
breakers
bursting
into
foam
;
he
heard
the
wave-music
,
and
tasted
the
briny
freshness
of
the
sea-breeze
.
Inspiration
,
after
all
,
would
perchance
have
come
to
him
.
If
Amy
's
love
had
but
been
of
more
enduring
quality
;
if
she
had
strengthened
him
for
this
last
endeavour
with
the
brave
tenderness
of
an
ideal
wife
!
But
he
had
seen
such
hateful
things
in
her
eyes
.
Her
love
was
dead
,
and
she
regarded
him
as
the
man
who
had
spoilt
her
hopes
of
happiness
.
It
was
only
for
her
own
sake
that
she
urged
him
to
strive
on
;
let
his
be
the
toil
,
that
hers
might
be
the
advantage
if
he
succeeded
.
'
She
would
be
glad
if
I
were
dead
.
She
would
be
glad
.
'
He
had
the
conviction
of
it
.
Oh
yes
,
she
would
shed
tears
;
they
come
so
easily
to
women
.
But
to
have
him
dead
and
out
of
her
way
;
to
be
saved
from
her
anomalous
position
;
to
see
once
more
a
chance
in
life
;
she
would
welcome
it
.
But
there
was
no
time
for
brooding
.
To-day
he
had
to
sell
all
the
things
that
were
superfluous
,
and
to
make
arrangements
for
the
removal
of
his
effects
to-morrow
.
By
Wednesday
night
,
in
accordance
with
his
agreement
,
the
flat
must
be
free
for
the
new
occupier
.
He
had
taken
only
two
rooms
,
and
fortunately
as
things
were
.
Three
would
have
cost
more
than
he
was
likely
to
be
able
to
afford
for
a
long
time
.
The
rent
of
the
two
was
to
be
six-
and-sixpence
;
and
how
,
if
Amy
had
consented
to
come
,
could
he
have
met
the
expenses
of
their
living
out
of
his
weekly
twenty-five
shillings
?
How
could
he
have
pretended
to
do
literary
work
in
such
cramped
quarters
,
he
who
had
never
been
able
to
write
a
line
save
in
strict
seclusion
?
In
his
despair
he
had
faced
the
impossible
.
Amy
had
shown
more
wisdom
,
though
in
a
spirit
of
unkindness
.
Towards
ten
o'clock
he
was
leaving
the
flat
to
go
and
find
people
who
would
purchase
his
books
and
old
clothing
and
other
superfluities
;
but
before
he
could
close
the
door
behind
him
,
an
approaching
step
on
the
stairs
caught
his
attention
.
He
saw
the
shining
silk
hat
of
a
well-equipped
gentleman
.
It
was
John
Yule
.
'
Ha
!
Good-morning
!
'
John
exclaimed
,
looking
up
.
'
A
minute
or
two
and
I
should
have
been
too
late
,
I
see
.
'
He
spoke
in
quite
a
friendly
way
,
and
,
on
reaching
the
landing
,
shook
hands
.
'
Are
you
obliged
to
go
at
once
?
Or
could
I
have
a
word
with
you
?
'
'
Come
in
.
'
They
entered
the
study
,
which
was
in
some
disorder
;
Reardon
made
no
reference
to
circumstances
,
but
offered
a
chair
,
and
seated
himself
.
'
Have
a
cigarette
?
'
said
Yule
,
holding
out
a
box
of
them
.
'
No
,
thank
you
;
I
do
n't
smoke
so
early
.
'
'
Then
I
'll
light
one
myself
;
it
always
makes
talk
easier
to
me
.
You
're
on
the
point
of
moving
,
I
suppose
?
'
'
Yes
,
I
am
.
'
Reardon
tried
to
speak
in
quite
a
simple
way
,
with
no
admission
of
embarrassment
.
He
was
not
successful
,
and
to
his
visitor
the
tone
seemed
rather
offensive
.
'
I
suppose
you
'll
let
Amy
know
your
new
address
?
'
'
Certainly
.
Why
should
I
conceal
it
?
'
'
No
,
no
;
I
did
n't
mean
to
suggest
that
.
But
you
might
be
taking
it
for
granted
that
—
that
the
rupture
was
final
,
I
thought
.
'
There
had
never
been
any
intimacy
between
these
two
men
.
Reardon
regarded
his
wife
's
brother
as
rather
snobbish
and
disagreeably
selfish
;
John
Yule
looked
upon
the
novelist
as
a
prig
,
and
now
of
late
as
a
shuffling
,
untrustworthy
fellow
.
It
appeared
to
John
that
his
brother-in-law
was
assuming
a
manner
wholly
unjustifiable
,
and
he
had
a
difficulty
in
behaving
to
him
with
courtesy
.
Reardon
,
on
the
other
hand
,
felt
injured
by
the
turn
his
visitor
's
remarks
were
taking
,
and
began
to
resent
the
visit
altogether
.
'
I
take
nothing
for
granted
,
'
he
said
coldly
.
'
But
I
'm
afraid
nothing
is
to
be
gained
by
a
discussion
of
our
difficulties
.
The
time
for
that
is
over
.
'
'
I
ca
n't
quite
see
that
.
It
seems
to
me
that
the
time
has
just
come
.
'
'
Please
tell
me
,
to
begin
with
,
do
you
come
on
Amy
's
behalf
?
'
'
In
a
way
,
yes
.
She
has
n't
sent
me
,
but
my
mother
and
I
are
so
astonished
at
what
is
happening
that
it
was
necessary
for
one
or
other
of
us
to
see
you
.
'
'
I
think
it
is
all
between
Amy
and
myself
.
'
'
Difficulties
between
husband
and
wife
are
generally
best
left
to
the
people
themselves
,
I
know
.
But
the
fact
is
,
there
are
peculiar
circumstances
in
the
present
case
.
It
ca
n't
be
necessary
for
me
to
explain
further
.
'
Reardon
could
find
no
suitable
words
of
reply
.
He
understood
what
Yule
referred
to
,
and
began
to
feel
the
full
extent
of
his
humiliation
.
'
You
mean
,
of
course
—
'
he
began
;
but
his
tongue
failed
him
.
'
Well
,
we
should
really
like
to
know
how
long
it
is
proposed
that
Amy
shall
remain
with
her
mother
.
'
John
was
perfectly
self-possessed
;
it
took
much
to
disturb
his
equanimity
.
He
smoked
his
cigarette
,
which
was
in
an
amber
mouth-piece
,
and
seemed
to
enjoy
its
flavour
.
Reardon
found
himself
observing
the
perfection
of
the
young
man
's
boots
and
trousers
.
'
That
depends
entirely
on
my
wife
herself
,
'
he
replied
mechanically
.
'
How
so
?
'
'
I
offer
her
the
best
home
I
can
.
'
Reardon
felt
himself
a
poor
,
pitiful
creature
,
and
hated
the
well-dressed
man
who
made
him
feel
so
.
'
But
really
,
Reardon
,
'
began
the
other
,
uncrossing
and
recrossing
his
legs
,
'
do
you
tell
me
in
seriousness
that
you
expect
Amy
to
live
in
such
lodgings
as
you
can
afford
on
a
pound
a
week
?
'
'
I
do
n't
.
I
said
that
I
had
offered
her
the
best
home
I
could
.
I
know
it
's
impossible
,
of
course
.
'
Either
he
must
speak
thus
,
or
break
into
senseless
wrath
.
It
was
hard
to
hold
back
the
angry
words
that
were
on
his
lips
,
but
he
succeeded
,
and
he
was
glad
he
had
done
so
.
'
Then
it
does
n't
depend
on
Amy
,
'
said
John
.
'
I
suppose
not
.
'
'
You
see
no
reason
,
then
,
why
she
should
n't
live
as
at
present
for
an
indefinite
time
?
'
To
John
,
whose
perspicacity
was
not
remarkable
,
Reardon
's
changed
tone
conveyed
simply
an
impression
of
bland
impudence
.
He
eyed
his
brother-in-law
rather
haughtily
.
'
I
can
only
say
,
'
returned
the
other
,
who
was
become
wearily
indifferent
,
'
that
as
soon
as
I
can
afford
a
decent
home
I
shall
give
my
wife
the
opportunity
of
returning
to
me
.
'
'
But
,
pray
,
when
is
that
likely
to
be
?
'
John
had
passed
the
bounds
;
his
manner
was
too
frankly
contemptuous
.
'
I
see
no
right
you
have
to
examine
me
in
this
fashion
,
'
Reardon
exclaimed
.
'
With
Mrs.
Yule
I
should
have
done
my
best
to
be
patient
if
she
had
asked
these
questions
;
but
you
are
not
justified
in
putting
them
,
at
all
events
not
in
this
way
.
'
'
I
'm
very
sorry
you
speak
like
this
,
Reardon
,
'
said
the
other
,
with
calm
insolence
.
'
It
confirms
unpleasant
ideas
,
you
know
.
'
'
What
do
you
mean
?
'
'
Why
,
one
ca
n't
help
thinking
that
you
are
rather
too
much
at
your
ease
under
the
circumstances
.
It
is
n't
exactly
an
everyday
thing
,
you
know
,
for
a
man
's
wife
to
be
sent
back
to
her
own
people
—
'
Reardon
could
not
endure
the
sound
of
these
words
.
He
interrupted
hotly
.
'
I
ca
n't
discuss
it
with
you
.
You
are
utterly
unable
to
comprehend
me
and
my
position
,
utterly
!
It
would
be
useless
to
defend
myself
.
You
must
take
whatever
view
seems
to
you
the
natural
one
.
'
John
,
having
finished
his
cigarette
,
rose
.
'
The
natural
view
is
an
uncommonly
disagreeable
one
,
'
he
said
.
'
However
,
I
have
no
intention
of
quarrelling
with
you
.
I
'll
only
just
say
that
,
as
I
take
a
share
in
the
expenses
of
my
mother
's
house
,
this
question
decidedly
concerns
me
;
and
I
'll
add
that
I
think
it
ought
to
concern
you
a
good
deal
more
than
it
seems
to
.
'
Reardon
,
ashamed
already
of
his
violence
,
paused
upon
these
remarks
.
'
It
shall
,
'
he
uttered
at
length
,
coldly
.
'
You
have
put
it
clearly
enough
to
me
,
and
you
sha
n't
have
spoken
in
vain
.
Is
there
anything
else
you
wish
to
say
?
'
'
Thank
you
;
I
think
not
.
'
They
parted
with
distant
civility
,
and
Reardon
closed
the
door
behind
his
visitor
.
He
knew
that
his
character
was
seen
through
a
distorting
medium
by
