By neither word nor action had she ever voluntarily widened the breach between them: His growing dislike had not had any visible effect upon her.

She had done her duty faithfully through all, had borne his harshness and his insults in silence, with a patience too majestic, too colossal, for his understanding.
And now for the first time she asked herself, Did he want to be rid of her?
Had he invented this monstrous grievance to drive her from him?
Were the days of her bondage indeed drawing at last to an end?
Had she borne with him long enough?
Was she free--was she free to go?
Her heart quickened at the bare thought.

How gladly would she set herself to make a living when once this burden had been lifted from her! But she would not relinquish it without his sanction.

She would be faithful to the last, true to that bargain she had struck with him so long ago.

Yet surely he could not refuse it.