was　another　fellow　who　spoke　I　forgot　to　mentionthat　queer　Dick　who　was
  in　your　class；　Krebs；　got　the　school　board　evidence；　looked　as　if　he'd
  come　in　by　freight。　　He　wasn't　as　popular　as　the　rest；　but　he's　got　more
  sense　than　all　of　them　put　together。〃
  〃Why　wasn't　he　popular？〃
  〃Well；　he　didn't　crack　up　the　American　people；said　they　deserved　all
  they　got；　that　they'd　have　to　learn　to　think　straight　and　be　straight
  before　they　could　expect　a　square　deal。　　The　truth　was；　they　secretly
  envied　these　rich　men　who　were　exploiting　their　city；　and　just　as　long　as
  they　envied　them　they　hadn't　any　right　to　complain　of　them。　　He　was　going
  into　this　campaign　to　tell　the　truth；　but　to　tell　all　sides　of　it；　and　if
  they　wanted　reform；　they'd　have　to　reform　themselves　first。　　I　admired
  his　nerve；　I　must　say。〃
  〃He　always　had　that；〃　I　remarked。　　〃How　did　they　take　it？〃
  〃Well；　they　didn't　like　it　much；　but　I　think　most　of　them　had　a　respect
  for　him。　　I　know　I　did。　　He　has　a　whole　lot　of　assurance；　an　air　of
  knowing　what　he's　talking　about；　and　apparently　he　doesn't　give　a
  continental　whether　he's　popular　or　not。　　Besides；　Greenhalge　had　cracked
  him　up　to　the　skies　for　the　work　he'd　done　for　the　school　board。〃
  〃You　talk　as　if　he'd　converted　you；〃　I　said。
  Ralph　laughed　as　he　rose　and　stretched　himself。
  〃Oh；　I'm　only　the　intelligent　spectator；　you　ought　to　know　that　by　this
  time；　Hughie。　　But　I　thought　it　might　interest　you；　since　you'll　have　to
  go　on　the　stump　and　refute　it　all。　　That'll　be　a　nice　job。　　So　long。〃
  And　he　departed。　　Of　course　I　knew　that　he　had　been　baiting　me；　his　scent
  for　the　weaknesses　of　his　friends　being　absolutely　fiendish。　　I　was　angry
  because　he　had　succeeded；because　he　knew　he　had　succeeded。　　All　the
  morning　uneasiness　possessed　me；　and　I　found　it　difficult　to　concentrate
  on　the　affairs　I　had　in　hand。　　I　felt　premonitions；　which　I　tried　in　vain
  to　suppress；　that　the　tide　of　the　philosophy　of　power　and　might　were
  starting　to　ebb：　I　scented　vague　calamities　ahead；　calamities　I
  associated　with　Krebs；　and　when　I　went　out　to　the　Club　for　lunch　this
  sense　of　uneasiness；　instead　of　being　dissipated；　was　increased。
  Dickinson　was　there；　and　Scherer；　who　had　just　got　back　from　Europe；　the
  talk　fell　on　the　Citizens　Union；　which　Scherer　belittled　with　an　air　of
  consequence　and　pompousness　that　struck　me　disagreeably；　and　with　an　eye
  newly　critical　I　detected　in　him　a　certain　disintegration；　deterioration。
  Having　dismissed　the　reformers；　he　began　to　tell　of　his　experiences
  abroad；　referring　in　one　way　or　another　to　the　people　of　consequence　who
  had　entertained　him。
  〃Hugh；〃　said　Leonard　Dickinson　to　me　as　we　walked　to　the　bank　together；
  〃Scherer　will　never　be　any　good　any　more。　　Too　much　prosperity。　　And　he's
  begun　to　have　his　nails　manicured。〃
  After　I　had　left　the　bank　president　an　uncanny　fancy　struck　me　that　in
  Adolf　Scherer　I　had　before　me　a　concrete　example　of　the　effect　of　my
  philosophy　on　the　individual。。。。
  Nothing　seemed　to　go　right　that　spring；　and　yet　nothing　was　absolutely
  wrong。　　At　times　I　became　irritated；　bewildered；　out　of　tune；　and　unable
  to　understand　why。　　The　weather　itself　was　uneasy；　tepid；　with　long
  spells　of　hot　wind　and　dust。　　I　no　longer　seemed　to　find　refuge　in　my
  work。　　I　was　unhappy　at　home。　　After　walking　for　many　years　in　confidence
  and　security　along　what　appeared　to　be　a　certain　path；　I　had　suddenly
  come　out　into　a　vague　country　in　which　it　was　becoming　more　and　more
  difficult　to　recognize　landmarks。　　I　did　not　like　to　confess　this；　and
  yet　I　heard　within　me　occasional　whispers。　　Could　it　be　that　I；　Hugh
  Paret；　who　had　always　been　so　positive；　had　made　a　mess　of　my　life？
  There　were　moments　when　the　pattern　of　it　appeared　to　have　fallen　apart；
  resolved　itself　into　pieces　that　refused　to　fit　into　each　other。
  Of　course　my　relationship　with　Nancy　had　something　to　do　with　this。。。。
  One　evening　late　in　the　spring；　after　dinner；　Maude　came　into　the
  library。
  〃Are　you　busy；　Hugh？〃　she　asked。
  I　put　down　my　newspapers。
  〃Because；〃　she　went　on；　as　she　took　a　chair　near　the　table　where　I　was
  writing；　〃I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　I　have　decided　to　go　to　Europe；　and
  take　the　children。〃
  〃To　Europe！〃　I　exclaimed。　　The　significance　of　the　announcement　failed　at
  once　to　register　in　my　brain；　but　I　was　aware　of　a　shock。
  〃Yes。〃
  〃When？〃　I　asked。
  〃Right　away。　　The　end　of　this　month。〃
  〃For　the　summer？〃
  〃I　haven't　decided　how　long　I　shall　stay。〃
  I　stared　at　her　in　bewilderment。　　In　contrast　to　the　agitation　I　felt
  rising　within　me；　she　was　extraordinarily　calm；　unbelievably　so。
  〃But　where　do　you　intend　to　go　in　Europe？〃
  〃I　shall　go　to　London　for　a　month　or　so；　and　after　that　to　some　quiet
  place　in　France；　probably　at　the　sea；　where　the　children　can　learn　French
  and　German。　　After　that；　I　have　no　plans。〃
  〃Butyou　talk　as　if　you　might　stay　indefinitely。〃
  〃I　haven't　decided；〃　she　repeated。
  〃But　whywhy　are　you　doing　this？〃
  I　would　have　recalled　the　words　as　soon　as　I　had　spoken　them。　　There　was
  the　slightest　unsteadiness　in　her　voice　as　she　replied：
  〃Is　it　necessary　to　go　into　that；　Hugh？　　Wouldn't　it　be　useless　as　well
  as　a　little　painful？　　Surely；　going　to　Europe　without　one's　husband　is
  not　an　unusual　thing　in　these　days。　　Let　it　just　be　understood　that　I
  want　to　go；　that　the　children　have　arrived　at　an　age　when　it　will　do　them
  good。〃
  I　got　up　and　began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room；　while　she　watched　me
  with　a　silent　calm　which　was　incomprehensible。　　In　vain　I　summoned　my
  faculties　to　meet　it。
  I　had　not　thought　her　capable　of　such　initiative。
  〃I　can't　see　why　you　want　to　leave　me；〃　I　said　at　last；　though　with　a
  full　sense　of　the　inadequacy　of　the　remark；　and　a　suspicion　of　its
  hypocrisy。
  〃That　isn't　quite　true；〃　she　answered。　　〃In　the　first　place；　you　don't
  need　me。　　I　am　not　of　the　slightest　use　in　your　life；　I　haven't　been　a
  factor　in　it　for　years。　　You　ought　never　to　have　married　me；it　was　all
  a　terrible　mistake。　　I　began　to　realize　that　after　we　had　been　married　a
  few　monthseven　when　we　were　on　our　wedding　trip。　　But　I　was　too
  inexperiencedperhaps　too　weak　to　acknowledge　it　to　myself。　　In　the　last
  few　years　I　have　come　to　see　it　plainly。　　I　should　have　been　a　fool　if　I
  hadn't。　　I　am　not　your　wife　in　any　real　sense　of　the　word；　I　cannot　hold
  you；　I　cannot　even　interest　you。　　It's　a　situation　that　no　woman　with
  self…respect　can　endure。〃
  〃Aren't　those　rather　modern　sentiments；　for　you；　Maude？〃　　I　said。
  She　flushed　a　little；　but　otherwise　retained　her　remarkable　composure。
  〃I　don't　care　whether　they　are　'modern'　or　not；　I　only　know　that　my
  position　has　become　impossible。〃
  I　walked　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；　and　stood　facing　the　carefully
  drawn　curtains　of　the　windows；　fantastically；　they　seemed　to　represent
  the　impasse　to　which　my　mind　had　come。　　Did　she　intend；　ultimately；　to
  get　a　divorce？　　I　dared　not　ask　her。　　The　word　rang　horribly　in　my　ears；
  though　unpronounced；　and　I　knew　then　that　I　lacked　her　courage；　and　the
  knowledge　was　part　of　my　agony。
  I　turned。
  〃Don't　you　think　you've　overdrawn　things；　Maude　exaggerated　them？　　No
  marriages　are　perfect。　　You've　let　your　mind　dwell　until　it　has　become
  inflamed　on　matters　which　really　don't　amount　to　much。〃
  〃I　was　never　saner；　Hugh；〃　she　replied　instantly。　　And　indeed　I　was
  forced　to　confess　that　she　looked　it。　　That　new　Maude　I　had　seen　emerging
  of　late　years　seemed　now　to　have　found　herself；　she　was　no　longer　the
  woman　I　had　married；yielding；　willing　to　overlook；　anxious　to　please；
  living　in　me。
  〃I　don't　influence　you；　or　help　you　in　any　way。　　I　never　have。〃
  〃Oh；　that's　not　true；〃　I　protested。
  But　she　cut　me　short；　going　on　inexorably：
  〃I　am　merely　your　housekeeper；　and　rather　a　poor　one　at　that；　from　your
  point　of　view。　　You　ignore　me。　　I　am　not　blaming　you　for　ityou　are　made
  that　way。　　It's　true　that　you　have　always　supported　me　in　luxury；　that
  might　have　been　enough　for　another　woman。　　It　isn't　enough　for　meI；
  too；　have　a　life　to　live；　a　soul　to　be　responsible　for。　　It's　not　for　my
  sake　so　much　as　for　the　children's　that　I　don't　want　it　to　be　crushed。〃
  〃Crushed！〃　I　repeated。
  〃Yes。　　You　are　stifling　it。　　I　say　again　that　I'm　not　blaming　you；　Hugh。
  You　are　made　differently　from　me。　　All　you　care　for；　really；　is　your
  career。　　You　may　think　that　you　care；　at　times；　forother　things；　but　it
  isn't　so。〃
  I　took；　involuntarily；　a　deep　breath。　　Would　she　mention　Nancy？　　Was　it
  in　reality　Nancy　who　had　brought　about　this　crisis？　　And　did　Maude
  suspect　the　closeness　of　that　relationship？
  Suddenly　I　found　myself　begging　her　not　to　go；　the　more　astonishing
  since；　if　at　any　time　during　the　past　winter　this　solution　had　presented
  itself　to　me　as　a　possibility；　I　should　eagerly　have　welcomed　it！　　But
  should　I　ever　have　had　the　courage　to　propose　a　separation？　　I　even
  wished　to　delude　myself　now　into　believing　that　what　she　suggested　was　in
  reality　not　a　separation。　　I　preferred　to　think　of　it　as　a　trip。。。。　　A
  vision　of　freedom　thrilled　me；　and　yet　I　was　wracked　and　torn。　　I　had　an
  idea　that　she　was　suffering；　that　the　ordeal　was　a　terrible　one　for　her；
  and　at　that　mo