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showed that she was indebted to the accident of having been
married in Scotland； and to her consequent right of appeal to the
Scotch tribunals； for a full and final release from the tie that
bound her to the vilest of husbands； which the English law of
that day would have mercilessly refused。
He read that。 Other men might have gone on to the narrative
extracted from the Scotch newspaper。 But at the last word of the
article _he_ stopped。
The newspaper； and the unread details which it contained； lost
all hold on his attention in an instant； and in their stead；
living and burning on his mind； like the Letters of Doom on the
walls of Belshazzar； there rose up in judgment against him the
last words of a verse in the Gospel of Saint Luke
_〃Whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband；
commiteth adultery。〃_
He had preached from these words； he had warned his hearers； with
the whole strength of the fanatical sincerity that was in him； to
beware of prevaricating with the prohibition which that verse
contained； and to accept it as literally； unreservedly； finally
forbidding the marriage of a divorced woman。 He had insisted on
that plain interpretation of plain words in terms which had made
his congregation tremble。 And now he stood alone in the secrecy
of his own chamber self…convicted of the deadly sin which he had
denouncedhe stood； as he had told the wicked among his hearers
that they would stand at the Last Day； before the Judgment Seat。
He was unconscious of the lapse of time； he never knew whether it
was many minutes or few before the door of his room was suddenly
and softly opened。 It did open； and his wife came in。
In her white dress； with a white shawl thrown over her shoulders；
her dark hair； so neat and glossy at other times； hanging tangled
about her colorless cheeks； and heightening the glassy brightness
of terror in her eyesso he saw her； the woman put away from her
husbandthe woman whose love had made his life happy and had
stained his soul with a deadly sin。
She came on to within a few paces of him without a word or a
tear； or a shadow of change passing over the dreadful rigidity of
her face。 She looked at him with a strange look； she pointed to
the newspaper crumpled in his hand with a strange gesture； she
spoke to him in a strange voice。
〃You know it！〃 she said。
His eyes met hersshe shrank from themturnedand laid her
arms and her head heavily against the wall。
〃Oh； Alfred；〃 she said； 〃I was so lonely in the world； and I was
so fond of you！〃
The woman's delicacy； the woman's trembling tenderness welled up
from her heart； and touched her voice with a tone of its old
sweetness as she murmured those simple words。
She said no more。 Her confession of her fault； her appeal to
their past love for pardon； were both poured forth in that one
sentence。 She left it to his own heart to tell him the rest。 How
anxiously her vigilant love had followed his every word and
treasured up his every opinion in the days when they first met；
how weakly and falsely； and yet with how true an affection for
him； she had shrunk from the disclosure which she knew but too
well would have separ ated them even at the church door； how
desperately she had fought against the coming discovery which
threatened to tear her from the bosom she clung to； and to cast
her out into the world with the shadow of her own shame to darken
her life to the endall this she left him to feel； for the
moment which might part them forever was the moment when she knew
best how truly； how passionately he had loved her。
His lips trembled as he stood looking at her in silence； and the
slow； burning tears dropped heavily； one by one； down his cheeks。
The natural human remembrance of the golden days of their
companionship； of the nights and nights when that dear
headturned away from him now in unutterable misery and
shamehad nestled itself so fondly and so happily on his breast；
fought hard to silence his conscience； to root out his dreadful
sense of guilt； to tear the words of Judgment from their ruthless
hold on his mind； to claim him in the sweet names of Pity and of
Love。 If she had turned and looked at him at that moment； their
next words would have been spoken in each other's arms。 But the
oppression of her despair under his silence was too heavy for
her； and she never moved。
He forced himself to look away from her； he struggled hard to
break the silence between them。
〃God forgive you； Emily！〃 he said。
As her name passed his lips； his voice failed him； and the
torture at his heart burst its way out in sobs。 He hurried to the
door to spare her the terrible reproof of the grief that had now
mastered him。 When he passed her she turned toward him with a
faint cry。
He caught her as she sank forward； and saved her from dropping on
the floor。 For the last time his arms closed round her。 For the
last time his lips touched herscold and insensible to him now。
He laid her on the sofa and went out。
One of the female servants was crossing the hall。 The girl
started as she met him； and turned pale at the sight of his face。
He could not speak to her； but he pointed to the study door。 He
saw her go into the room； and then left the house。
He never entered it more； and he and his wife never met again。
Later on that last day； a sister of Mr。 Carling'sa married
woman living in the towncame to the rectory。 She brought an
open note with her； addressed to the unhappy mistress of the
house。 It contained these few lines； blotted and stained with
tears：
May God grant us both the time for repentance！ If I had loved you
less； I might have trusted myself to see you again。 Forgive me；
and pity me； and remember me in your prayers； as I shall forgive；
and pity； and remember you。
He had tried to write more； but the pen had dropped from his
hand。 His sister's entreaties had not moved him。 After giving her
the note to deliver； he had solemnly charged her to be gentle in
communicating the tidings that she bore； and had departed alone
for London。 He heard all remonstrances with patience。 He did not
deny that the deception of which his wife had been guilty was the
most pardonable of all concealments of the truth； because it
sprang from her love for him； but he had the same hopeless answer
for every one who tried to plead with himthe verse from the
Gospel of Saint Luke。
His purpose in traveling to London was to make the necessary
arrangements for his wife's future existence； and then to get
employment which would separate him from his home and from all
its associations。 A missionary expedition to one of the Pacific
Islands accepted him as a volunteer。 Broken in body and spirit；
his last look of England from the deck of the ship was his last
look at land。 A fortnight afterward； his brethren read the
burial…service over him on a calm； cloudless evening at sea。
Before he was committed to the deep； his little pocket Bible；
which had been a present from his wife； was； in accordance with
his dying wishes； placed open on his breast； so that the
inscription； 〃To my dear Husband；〃 might rest over his heart。
His unhappy wife still lives。 When th