she could obtain it. The poignancy of his own
sorrow should not cause him to ignore that she had given up her own
career and pursuits in order to become his wife, and was now
disappointed and without independent resources. His pride was sorely
wounded, his ideals shattered and his heart crushed; yet, though he
could not forbear from judging Selma, and was unconscious of having
failed in his obligations to her as a husband and a man, he saw what she
called her side, and he took up the thread of life again under the spur
of an intention to give her everything but love.

On her part Selma felt aggrieved yet emancipated. She had not looked for
any such grave result from her vituperation. She had intended to reprove
his surrender of the Parsons's contract, in direct opposition to her own
wishes, with the severity it deserved, and to let him understand clearly
that he was sacrificing her happiness, no less than his own, by his
hysterical folly. When the conversation developed stubborn resistance on
his part, and she realized that he was defending and adhering to his
purpose, a righteous sense of injury became predominant in her mind over
everything else. All her past wrongs cried for redress, and she rejoiced
in the opportunity of giving free vent to the pent up grievances which
had been accumulating for many months. Even then it was startling to her
that Wilbur should suddenly utter the tragic ultimatum that their
happiness was at an end, and hint at divorce. She considered that she
loved him, and it had never occurred to her that he could ever cease to
love her. Rather than retract a word of her own accusations she would
have let him leave her, then and there, to live her own life without
protection or support from him, but his calmer decision that they should
continue to live together, yet apart, suited her better. In spite of his
resolute mien she was sceptical of the seriousness of the situation. She
believed in her heart that after a few days of restraint they would
resume their former life, and that Wilbur, on reflection, would
appreciate that he had been absurd.

When it became apparent that he was not to be appeased and that his
threat had been genuine, Selma accepted the new relation without demur,
and prepared to play her part in the compact as though she had been
equally obdurate in her outcry for her freedom. She met reserve with
reserve, maintaining rigorously the attitude that she had been wronged
and that he