s, for which he was no
longer fit; the debts hampered him; bankruptcy followed; and he fled
from city to city, falling daily into lower practice. It is to be
considered that he had been taught, and had learned as a delightful
duty, a kind of business whose highest merit is to escape the
commentaries of the bench: that of the usurious lawyer in a county town.
With this training, he was now shot, a penniless stranger, into the
deeper gulfs of cities; and the result is scarce a thing to be surprised
at.

"Have you heard of your wife again?" I asked.

He displayed a pitiful agitation. "I am afraid you will think ill of
me," he said.

"Have you taken her back?" I asked.

"No, sir. I trust I have too much self-respect," he answered, "and, at
least, I was never tempted. She won't come, she dislikes, she seems to
have conceived a positive distaste for me, and yet I was considered an
indulgent husband."

"You are still in relations, then?" I asked.

"I place myself in your hands, Mr. Dodd," he replied. "The world is
very hard; I have found it bitter hard myself--bitter hard to live. How
much worse for a woman, and one who has placed herself (by her own
misconduct, I am far from denying that) in so unfortunate a position!"

"In short, you support her?" I suggested.

"I cannot deny it. I practically do," he admitted. "It has been a
millstone round my neck. But I think she is grateful. You can see for
yourself."

He handed me a letter in a sprawling, ignorant hand, but written with
violet ink on fine, pink paper, with a monogram. It was very foolishly
expressed, and I thought (except for a few obvious cajoleries) very
heartless and greedy in meaning. The writer said she had been sick,
which I disbelieved; declared the last remittance was all gone in
doctor's bills, for which I took the liberty of substituting dress,
drink, and monograms; and prayed for an increase, which I could only
hope had been denied her.

"I think she is really grateful?" he asked, with some eagerness, as I
returned it.

"I daresay," said I. "Has she any claim on you?"

"O no, sir. I divorced her," he replied. "I have a very strong sense of
self-respect in such matters, and I divorced her immediately."

"What sort of life is she leading now?" I asked.

"I will not deceive you, Mr. Dodd. I do not know, I make a point of not
knowing; it appears more dignified. I have been very harshly
criticised," he added, sighing.

It will be seen that I h