"The book is finished? That's fine, Johnnie ... but don't come to the city now ... wait my letter."
When the bulky letter came, the roads rang like iron to my step. I wouldn't allow myself to read it in the post office. I hugged the luxury of the idea of reading it by the fire, slowly. I kissed the still unopened envelope many times on the way home.
I broke the letter open ... it fell out of my hands as if a paralysis had smitten me....
No, no, I would not believe it ... it could not be true ... in so short a time ... with hands that shook as with palsy I plucked it up from the chilly, draughty floor again....
"Another man!"
She had met, was in love with, another man!
Oh, incredible! incredible! I moaned in agony. I rocked like an old woman rocking her body in grief.
Now was my time to end it all!