Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: IV WHEN Mr. Shaw returned home that night, Elizabeth, half disrobed, was walking aimlessly about her bedroom; but Mrs. Shaw was seated as usual near the round table in the rear parlor. From its mural bracket the little clock, which appears to perform the role of Greek chorus in this recital, announced the hour of ten, as Mr. Shaw entered the apartment. Mrs. Shaw was seated stiffly, and her face, turned three quarters away from the light, remained in shadow. She was very composed and very pale. Her pallor apparently did not escape Mr. Shaw.
Is n’t your headache any better,my dear ?
he asked, reaching out to take a chair. She did not reply for several seconds, then she lifted her face, and said:
Augustus, have you brought home the confectionery ? Mr. Shaw started, and flushed a faint crimson.
The confectionery! he repeated. Augustus, said his wife, rising from the chair, a trifle paler, but retaining her curious self-possession,
I know everything.
If you know everything, then there is nothing more to be said.
There is much more to be said. You made believe that you spent your evenings at the club. I followed you to-night.
You followed me!
I followed you to the tenementhouse, and saw you holding the child in your arms, the child for whom you bought the candy ? if it was not for the mother.
The mother!?the candy! ? why, Maria ?
Mr. Shaw, I did n’t know until now that I had married an echo. I didn’t know, added the woman, wearily,
what I had married.
Maria, said Mr. Shaw, recovering himself, if I’m behaving like an idiotic echo it’s because you upset me with your suddenness.
My suddenness ?
Now you are doing it. Suppose you don’t get excited. There’s no need for it. I am sorry about this. Silen…
