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           Hiswifeknewandshemadenosign.Glennardfoundhimselfinthecaseoftheseafarerwho,closinghiseyesatnightfallonascenehethinkstoputleaguesbehindhimbeforeday,wakestoaport-holeframingthesamepatchofshore.Fromthekindofexaltationtowhichhisresolvehadliftedhimhedroppedtoanunreasoningapathy.Hisimpulseofconfessionhadactedasadrugtoself-reproach.Hehadtriedtoshiftaportionofhisburdentohiswife’sshouldersandnowthatshehadtacitlyrefusedtocarryit,hefelttheloadtooheavytobetakenupagain.

           Afortunateintervalofhardworkbroughtrespitefromthisphaseofsterilemisery.HewentWesttoargueanimportantcase,wonit,andcamebacktofreshpreoccupations.Hisownaffairswerethrivingenoughtoengrosshiminthepausesofhisprofessionalwork,andforovertwomonthshehadlittletimetolookhimselfintheface.Notunnaturally—forhewasasyetunskilledinthesubtletiesofintrospection—hemistookhistemporaryinsensibilityforagradualrevivalofmoralhealth.

           Hetoldhimselfthathewasrecoveringhissenseofproportion,gettingtoseethingsintheirtruelight;andifhenowthoughtofhisrashappealtohiswife’ssympathyitwasasanactoffollyfromtheconsequencesofwhichhehadbeensavedbytheprovidencethatwatchesovermadmen.HehadlittleleisuretoobserveAlexa;butheconcludedthatthecommon-sensemomentarilydeniedhimhadcounselledheruncriticalacceptanceoftheinevitable.