And this letter would never have been written except, practically, at his dictation.

Kindly refrain from showing it to him as my acknowledgment here of his influence in the matter would grieve him very deeply.
"Because he believes that it is still possible for you and me to return to civilised relations; he believes that I care for you, that, in your own leisurely and superficial fashion, you still really honour the vows that bound you--still in your heart care for me.

Let him believe it; and if you will, for his sake, let us resume the surface semblance of a common life which, until he persuaded me, I was determined to abandon.
"It is an effort to write this; I do it for his sake, and, in that way, for yours.

I don't think you care about me; I don't think you ever did or ever will.

Yet you must know how it was with me until I could endure my isolation no longer.