Пробный камень

VII

           Weliveinourownsoulsasinanunmappedregion,afewacresofwhichwehaveclearedforourhabitation;whileofthenatureofthosenearestusweknowbuttheboundariesthatmarchwithours.Ofthepointsinhiswife’scharacternotindirectcontactwithhisown,Glennardnowdiscernedhisignorance;andthebafflingsenseofherremotenesswasintensifiedbythediscoverythat,inoneway,shewasclosertohimthaneverbefore.Asonemayliveforyearsinhappyunconsciousnessofthepossessionofasensitivenerve,hehadlivedbesidehiswifeunawarethatherindividualityhadbecomeapartofthetextureofhislife,ineradicableassomegrowthonavitalorgan;andhenowfelthimselfatonceincapableofforecastingherjudgmentandpowerlesstoevadeitseffects.

           Toescape,thenextmorning,theconfidencesofthebreakfast-table,hewenttotownearlierthanusual.Hiswife,whoreadslowly,wasgiventotalkingoverwhatsheread,andatpresenthisfirstobjectinlifewastopostponetheinevitablediscussionoftheletters.Thisinstinctofprotectionintheafternoon,onhiswayuptown,guidedhimtotheclubinsearchofamanwhomightbepersuadedtocomeouttothecountrytodine.TheonlymanintheclubwasFlamel.

           Glennard,asheheardhimselfalmostinvoluntarilypressingFlameltocomeanddine,feltthefullironyofthesituation.TouseFlamelasashieldagainsthiswife’sscrutinywasonlyashadelesshumiliatingthantoreckononhiswifeasadefenceagainstFlamel.

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