'I almost gasped; I was wild with indignation. You know, Mr. Trent, I don't think I should have minded at all if any one had thought me capable of openly breaking with my husband and leaving him for somebody else. I dare say I might have done that. But that coarse suspicion . . . a man whom he trusted . . . and the notion of concealment. It made me see scarlet. Every shred of pride in me was strung up till I quivered, and I swore to myself on the spot that I would never show by any word or sign that I was conscious of his having such a thought about me. I would behave exactly as I always had behaved, I determined–and that I did, up to the very last. Though I knew that a wall had been made between us now that could never be broken down–even if he asked my pardon and obtained it–I never once showed that I noticed any change.
'And so it went on. I never could go through such a time again. My husband showed silent and cold politeness to me always when we were alone–and that was only when it was unavoidable. He never once alluded to what was in his mind; but I felt it, and he
