At first he had thought that he never could take pleasure in anything again so long as he should live, that his good times were gone.
But as his pliable character rearranged itself to suit the new environment, he began to see that there would come a time when he would grow accustomed to Ida's death and when his grief would lose its sharpness.

He had even commenced to look forward to this time and to long for it as a sort of respite and relief.

He believed at first that it would not be for a great many years; but even so soon after the suicide as this, he saw with a little thrill of comfort that it would be but a matter of months.

At the same time Vandover was surprised and even troubled at the ease with which he was recovering from the first shock.
He wondered at himself, because he knew he had been sincere in his talk with his father.

Vandover was not given to self-analysis, but now for a minute he was wondering if this reaction were due to his youth, his good health and his good spirits, or whether there was something wrong with him.