This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... XIX PROBLEMS T"1 HREE days after my husband had gone -*- I met my "prophet" friend on the street; the boy was with me. I saw him coming towards us, through the crowd, buried in thought, a little bent; and then, suddenly, on seeing us, his whole appearance was transformed by a radiant smile. Was the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... XIX PROBLEMS T"1 HREE days after my husband had gone -*- I met my "prophet" friend on the street; the boy was with me. I saw him coming towards us, through the crowd, buried in thought, a little bent; and then, suddenly, on seeing us, his whole appearance was transformed by a radiant smile. Was the sight of us, then, so joyous an apparition? He took my son by the hand and began to question him in that tender, serious manner which makes children's hearts leap with happiness, and which so few people know how to employ. Again the scene of a few evenings before rose up in my mind and a wave of indignation kept me silent. He had to interrogate me at last, and I could do nothing but allude to a latent jealousy in my husband's disposition and tell him that thenceforward I would not be able to receive him at my own house. He had guessed the truth, but on hearing it spoken, in so many words, he could not restrain a movement of scorn. Then I told him that I had given up the idea of being independent, that, in order not to be deprived of my son, I had determined to resume the false and contemptible life I had been leading. He turned and bent upon me an inscrutable, half-fraternal look, and did not utter a single word. Without actually admitting as much to myself, I had a slight sensation of disappointment; it seemed to me that a gesture of pity, contempt, possibly, or even a reproof would have consoled me more. That evening, after supper, while the boy was playing on the floor by the stove, I had a violent nervous attack. I was sitting at my desk when I suddenly found myself holding my head with both hands, shaking with sobs, my face wet with tears. The child stood for a moment transfixed; certainly he never remembered to have seen me thus weeping...
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