wife was not here,
and had not been here.

At this Moment Monica was starting by train from Bayswater, after her
parting with Bevis. Arrived at Victoria, she crossed to the main
station, and went to the ladies' waiting-room for the purpose of
bathing her face. She had red, swollen eyes, and her hair was in slight
disorder. This done, she inquired as to the next train for Herne Hill.
One had just gone; another would leave in about a quarter of an hour.

A dreadful indecision was harassing her. Ought she, did she dare, to
return home at all? Even if her strength sufficed for simulating a
natural manner, could she consent to play so base a part?

There was but one possible alternative. She might go to Virginia's
lodgings, and there remain, writing to her husband that she had left
him. The true cause need not be confessed. She would merely declare
that life with him had become intolerable to her, that she demanded a
release. Their approaching removal to Clevedon offered the occasion.
She would say that her endurance failed before that prospect of
solitude, and that, feeling as she did, it was dishonourable to make
longer pretence of doing her duty as a wife. Then, if Bevis wrote to
her in such a way as to revive her love, if he seriously told her to
come to him, all difficulties could be solved by her disappearance.

Was such revival of disheartened love a likely or a possible thing? At
this moment she felt that to flee in secret, and live with Bevis as he
proposed, would be no less dishonour than abiding with the man who had
a legal claim upon her companionship. Her lover, as she had thought of
him for the past two or three months, was only a figment of her
imagination; Bevis had proved himself a complete stranger to her mind;
she must reshape her knowledge of him. His face was all that she could
still dwell upon with the old desire; nay, even that had suffered a
change.

Insensibly the minutes went by. Whilst she sat in the waiting-room her
train started; and when she had become aware of that, her irresolution
grew more tormenting.

Suddenly there came upon her a feeling of illness, of nausea.
Perspiration broke out on her forehead; her eyes dazzled; she had to
let her head fall back. It passed, but in a minute or two the fit again
seized her, and with a moan she lost consciousness.

Two or three women who were in the room rendered assistance. The
remarks they exchanged, though expressing uncertainty and discreetl