Of course he made false declarations.

If Mr.Mallard were really as grim as he sometimes looks, the result to both of them might be unpleasant." "But the marriage could not be undone ?" Miriam asked quickly.
"Oh no.

Scarcely desirable that it should be." Miriam took the letter, and in a few minutes went back again to her room.
At nine o'clock in the evening, the Spences, who sat alone, received the foreseen visit from Mallard.

They welcomed him silently.

As he sat down, he had a smile on his face; he drew a letter deliberately from his pocket, and, without preface, began to read it aloud, still in a deliberate manner.
"Let me first of all make a formal announcement.