He understood how
men have gone mad under pressure of household cares; he realised the
horrible temptation which has made men turn dastardly from the path
leading homeward and leave those there to shift for themselves.
When on the point of lowering the lamp he heard someone coming
downstairs. The door opened, and, to his surprise, Clara came in.
Familiarity could not make him insensible to that disfigurement of
her once beautiful face; his eyes always fell before her at the
first moment of meeting.
'What are you doing?' she asked. 'Why don't you come up?'
'I was that minute coming.'
His hand went again to the lamp, but she checked him. In a low,
wailing, heart-breaking voice, and with a passionate gesture, she
exclaimed, 'Oh, I feel as if I should go mad I can't bear it much
longer!'
Sidney was silent at first, then said quietly, 'Let's sit here for a
little. No wonder you feel low-spirited, lying in that room all day.
I'd gladly have come and sat with you, but my company only seems to
irritate you.'
'What good can you do me? You only think I'm making you miserable
without a cause. You won't say it, but that's what you always think;
and when I feel that, I can't bear to have you near.
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