Пробный камень
VII
Weliveinourownsoulsasinanunmappedregion,afewacresofwhichwehaveclearedforourhabitation;whileofthenatureofthosenearestusweknowbuttheboundariesthatmarchwithours.Ofthepointsinhiswife’scharacternotindirectcontactwithhisown,Glennardnowdiscernedhisignorance;andthebafflingsenseofherremotenesswasintensifiedbythediscoverythat,inoneway,shewasclosertohimthaneverbefore.Asonemayliveforyearsinhappyunconsciousnessofthepossessionofasensitivenerve,hehadlivedbesidehiswifeunawarethatherindividualityhadbecomeapartofthetextureofhislife,ineradicableassomegrowthonavitalorgan;andhenowfelthimselfatonceincapableofforecastingherjudgmentandpowerlesstoevadeitseffects.
Toescape,thenextmorning,theconfidencesofthebreakfast-table,hewenttotownearlierthanusual.Hiswife,whoreadslowly,wasgiventotalkingoverwhatsheread,andatpresenthisfirstobjectinlifewastopostponetheinevitablediscussionoftheletters.Thisinstinctofprotectionintheafternoon,onhiswayuptown,guidedhimtotheclubinsearchofamanwhomightbepersuadedtocomeouttothecountrytodine.TheonlymanintheclubwasFlamel.
Glennard,asheheardhimselfalmostinvoluntarilypressingFlameltocomeanddine,feltthefullironyofthesituation.TouseFlamelasashieldagainsthiswife’sscrutinywasonlyashadelesshumiliatingthantoreckononhiswifeasadefenceagainstFlamel.
