Chapter 19

           DearClifford,Iamafraidwhatyouforesawhashappened.Iamreallyinlovewithanotherman,anddohopeyouwilldivorceme.IamstayingatpresentwithDuncaninhisflat.ItoldyouhewasatVenicewithus.I’mawfullyunhappyforyoursake:butdotrytotakeitquietly.Youdon’treallyneedmeanymore,andIcan’tbeartocomebacktoWragby.I’mawfullysorry.Butdotrytoforgiveme,anddivorcemeandfindsomeonebetter.I’mnotreallytherightpersonforyou,Iamtooimpatientandselfish,Isuppose.ButIcan’tevercomebacktolivewithyouagain.AndIfeelsofrightfullysorryaboutitall,foryoursake.Butifyoudon’tletyourselfgetworkedup,you’llseeyouwon’tmindsofrightfully.Youdidn’treallycareaboutmepersonally.Sodoforgivemeandgetridofme.

           Cliffordwasnotinwardlysurprisedtogetthisletter.Inwardly,hehadknownforalongtimeshewasleavinghim.Buthehadabsolutelyrefusedanyoutwardadmissionofit.Therefore,outwardly,itcameasthemostterribleblowandshocktohim,Hehadkeptthesurfaceofhisconfidenceinherquiteserene.

           Andthatishowweare.Bystrengthofwillwecutoffourinnerintuitiveknowledgefromadmittedconsciousness.Thiscausesastateofdread,orapprehension,whichmakestheblowtentimesworsewhenitdoesfall.

           Cliffordwaslikeahystericalchild.HegaveMrsBoltonaterribleshock,sittingupinbedghastlyandblank.

           ’Why,SirClifford,whatever’sthematter?’

           Noanswer!Shewasterrifiedlesthehadhadastroke.Shehurriedandfelthisface,tookhispulse.