What would Stella say?
he thought to himself.

It almost seemed to him that he could hear her voice, bidding him forbear; bidding him render unto his wife those things which were his wife's: all honour, loyalty, and devotion.

If he entered on this course could he still render them?
Was there not such a thing as moral infidelity, and did not such exercises as he proposed partake of its nature?
Perhaps, perhaps.

On the whole it might be well to put all this behind him.
It was three o'clock, he was tired out, and must sleep.

The morning would be a more fitting time to ponder such weighty questions of the unwritten matrimonial law.
In due course, the morning came--indeed, it was not far off--and with it wiser counsels.