"As true as life. As true as death. As true as hell," he answered
bitterly.

"This, then," she said, "is the clue to all this mystery. The tangled
thread has begun to unravel. Many times this suspicion has forced itself
upon my mind; but it was too terrible to believe! And yet I, who could
not endure the suspicion, must now support the reality."

They had not taken their eyes from each other and were trying to
penetrate each other's minds, but realized that it was impossible. There
was in each something that the other could not comprehend.

The strain on his overwrought nerves soon became unendurable to David,
and he sank into a chair.

"Well," he said, as he did so, "what are you going to do about it?"

She had not at first realized that the emergency called for action, but
this inquiry awakened her to the consciousness that she was in a
situation from which she must escape by an effort of her will. She was
before a horrible dilemma and upon one horn or the other she must be
cruelly impaled.

But David, who asked the question, had not realized this necessity at
all.

"Do?" she said, "do? Must I do something? Yes, you are right. We cannot
go on as we are. Something must be done. But what? Is it possible that I
must return to my husband? How can I do that--I who cannot think of him
without loathing! What is the matter? Why do you tremble so? Is it then
as terrible to you as to me? I see from your emotion that I am right.
And yet I cannot see what good it will do! How can it undo the wrong? It
will be a certain sort of reparation, but it cannot bring him happiness,
for I cannot give him back my heart. To whom will it bring happiness?
Has happiness become impossible? Are we all three doomed to eternal
misery? Oh! David, why have you done this?"

He did not reply, but sat cowering in his chair.

"Forgive me," she cried, when she noticed his despair, "I did not mean
to reproach you, but I am so bewildered! And yet I see my duty! If he is
my husband, I must go back to him. A wife's place is by her husband's
side. I do not see how I can do it, but I must. How hard it is! I cannot
realize it. The very thought of seeing him again makes me shudder! And
yet I must go!"

"It is impossible," gasped the trembling creature to whom she looked for
confirmation.

"Why impossible?"

"Because, because--he--is--dead," he whispered, through his dry lips.

"Dead? Did you say dead?" Pepeeta cried. "When did he die? How did he