Chapter 26

           Neverbeforehadadaybeenpassedinquarrel.Todaywasthefirsttime.Andthiswasnotaquarrel.Itwastheopenacknowledgmentofcompletecoldness.Wasitpossibletoglanceatherashehadglancedwhenhecameintotheroomfortheguarantee?—tolookather,seeherheartwasbreakingwithdespair,andgooutwithoutawordwiththatfaceofcallouscomposure?Hewasnotmerelycoldtoher,hehatedherbecausehelovedanotherwoman—thatwasclear.

           Andrememberingallthecruelwordshehadsaid,Annasupplied,too,thewordsthathehadunmistakablywishedtosayandcouldhavesaidtoher,andshegrewmoreandmoreexasperated.

           “Iwon’tpreventyou,”hemightsay.“Youcangowhereyoulike.Youwereunwillingtobedivorcedfromyourhusband,nodoubtsothatyoumightgobacktohim.Gobacktohim.Ifyouwantmoney,I’llgiveittoyou.Howmanyroublesdoyouwant?”

           Allthemostcruelwordsthatabrutalmancouldsay,hesaidtoherinherimagination,andshecouldnotforgivehimforthem,asthoughhehadactuallysaidthem.

           “Butdidn’theonlyyesterdayswearhelovedme,he,atruthfulandsincereman?Haven’tIdespairedfornothingmanytimesalready?”shesaidtoherselfafterwards.

           Allthatday,exceptforthevisittoWilson’s,whichoccupiedtwohours,Annaspentindoubtswhethereverythingwereoverorwhethertherewerestillhopeofreconciliation,whethersheshouldgoawayatonceorseehimoncemore.