XIV

           Thegreatrenewalstakeeffectasimperceptiblyasthefirstworkingsofspring.Glennard,thoughhefelthimselfbroughtnearertohiswife,wasstill,asitwere,hardlywithinspeakingdistance.Hewasbutlaboriouslyacquiringtherudimentsoftheirnewmediumofcommunication;andhehadtogropeforherthroughthedensefogofhishumiliation,thedistortingvaporagainstwhichhispersonalityloomedgrotesqueandmean.

           Onlythefactthatweareunawarehowwellournearestknowusenablesustolivewiththem.Loveisthemostimpregnablerefugeofself-esteem,andwehatetheeyethatreachestoournakedness.IfGlennarddidnothatehiswifeitwasslowly,sufferingly,thattherewasborninhimthatprofounderpassionwhichmadehisearlierfeelingseemamerecommotionoftheblood.Hewaslikeachildcomingbacktothesenseofanenvelopingpresence:hernearnesswasabreastonwhichheleaned.

           Theydidnot,atfirst,talkmuchtogether,andeachbeatadevioustrackabouttheoutskirtsofthesubjectthatlaybetweenthemlikeahauntedwood.Buteveryword,everyaction,seemedtoglanceatit,todrawtowardit,asthoughafountofhealingspranginitspoisonedshade.Ifonlytheymightcutawaythroughthethickettothatrestoringspring!

           Glennard,watchinghiswifewiththeintentnessofawanderertowhomnonaturalsignisnegligible,sawthatshehadtakentemporaryrefugeinthepurposeofrenouncingthemoney.Ifboth,theoretically,ownedtheinefficacyofsuchamends,thewoman’sinstinctivesubjectivenessmadeherfindreliefinthiscrudeformofpenance.