“Practically so for nearly the past two decades.”
“Practically so? What do you mean by such an answer? Was he a married man?”
“Yes. He married seventeen years ago, two or three years after returning to America. Few knew of this marriage.”
“But parted from his wife?”
“Yes.”
“What were the circumstances of that parting?”
“I can answer that only in a general way.”
“Give me the best answer you can.”
“I will do so. As nearly as I can understand it Mr. Field was of a jealous disposition, and thinking he had reason to be jealous of his wife he revealed his feeling to her. She had borne much from him without complaining, but when he spoke to her in this way she quietly informed him that she would no longer remain under his roof unless he asked her pardon. This he refused to do until she had disproved his suspicion. She then said:
“I see that it is best I should go. A woman has no business living with a man who has no confidence in her.” He angrily returned: