"I suppose May won't ever come back again. And we were planning to take that cottage this summer so that the children could be together."
That detail didn't seem to me very important, but it was the one that showed to Sarah the gulf which had opened between us. Sarah's little world, by that token, had suffered an earthquake.
"Oh," I said, trying to comfort her, "like as not this will blow over! May has disapproved of me before this."
But in my heart I felt there wasn't much likelihood that this breach would be healed. Knowing May as I did, I had no idea that she would let Will continue with me, even in another position. No compromise for her! To-morrow or next day Will would come into the office to take his leave....
Somehow years had gone by in that evening.
"I guess, Van, I'll go to bed."
It was the first word Sarah had spoken for half an hour. The tears had dried on her face. She gave me a light kiss, and left me....
The house seemed cold and desolate, as if the pleasant kindliness of life had gone out of it when my brother and his wife had left. I made up the fire, lighted a fresh cigar, and sat down to think. Somehow years had gone by in that evening; I was heavy with the heaviness of middle life.