And the dread which he had hitherto kept off came
back upon him, the dread of seeing his wife's face and hearing her
voice. When he parted with Waymark in the morning, he had thought
that he would be able to come to some resolution during the day as
to his behaviour with regard to her. But no such decision had been
formed, and his overtaxed mind could do no more than dwell with dull
persistency on a long prospect of wretchedness. Fear and hatred
moved him in turns, and the fear was as much of himself as of the
object of his hate.
As he approached the door, a man came out whom he did not know, but
whose business he suspected. He had little doubt that it was a
police officer in plain clothes. He had to stand a moment and rest,
before he could use his latchkey to admit himself. When he entered
the sitting-room, he found the table spread as usual. Harriet was
sitting with sewing upon her lap. She did not look at him.
He sat down, and closed his eyes. There seemed to be a ringing of
great bells about him, overpowering every other sound; all his
muscles had become relaxed and powerless; he half forgot where and
under what circumstances he was, in a kind of deadly drowsiness.
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