and detestable。 But he had grace at the bottom of him; which
told him that; above all things; he did not want to lose her; he
was not going to lose her。
So he kept some consideration for her; he preserved some
relationship。 He went out more often; to the 〃Red Lion〃 again;
to escape the madness of sitting next to her when she did not
belong to him; when she was as absent as any woman in
indifference could be。 He could not stay at home。 So he went to
the 〃Red Lion〃。 And sometimes he got drunk。 But he preserved his
measure; some things between them he never forfeited。
A tormented look came into his eyes; as if something were
always dogging him。 He glanced sharp and quick; he could not
bear to sit still doing nothing。 He had to go out; to find
pany; to give himself away there。 For he had no other outlet;
he could not work to give himself out; he had not the
knowledge。
As the months of her pregnancy went on; she left him more and
more alone; she was more and more unaware of him; his existence
was annulled。 And he felt bound down; bound; unable to stir;
beginning to go mad; ready to rave。 For she was quiet and
polite; as if he did not exist; as one is quiet and polite to a
servant。
Nevertheless she was great with his child; it was his turn to
submit。 She sat opposite him; sewing; her foreign face
inscrutable and indifferent。 He felt he wanted to break her into
acknowledgment of him; into awareness of him。 It was
insufferable that she had so obliterated him。 He would smash her
into regarding him。 He had a raging agony of desire to do
so。
But something bigger in him withheld him; kept him
motionless。 So he went out of the house for relief。 Or he turned
to the little girl for her sympathy and her love; he appealed
with all his power to the small Anna。 So soon they were like
lovers; father and child。
For he was afraid of his wife。 As she sat there with bent
head; silent; working or reading; but so unutterably silent that