How well she knew him; how deeply she realized the darkness of his nature! Once she had said to him: "Sometimes I think that for duty's sake you would cling like a leech." It was true.

For thirty long years he had been in one sense homeless, his wife having lost her reason three years after they were married.

In that time he had faithfully visited the place of her confinement every month of his life, sobered, chastened, at first hopeful, defiant.

At the bottom of his heart Barode Barouche did not want marital freedom.

He had loved the mad woman.