And with wretchedness in her heart, because she must needs go to the same chamber in which her husband would sleep.

She wished so to be alone.
The poorest bed in a servant's garret would have been thrice welcome to her; liberty to lie awake, to think without a disturbing presence, to shed tears of need be--that seemed to her a precious boon.

She thought with envy of the shop-girls in Walworth Road; wished herself back there.

What unspeakable folly she had committed! And how true was everything she had heard from Rhoda Nunn on the subject of marriage! The next day Widdowson resorted to an expedient which he had once before tried in like circumstances.

He wrote his wife a long letter, eight close pages, reviewing the cause of their troubles, confessing his own errors, insisting gently on those chargeable to her, and finally imploring her to cooperate with him in a sincere endeavour to restore their happiness.