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THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL 129
" Because I mean to have a divorce. Gustav has treated
me like an abandoned woman before Matilda’s step-father.
I shall prove to them that they’re mistaken."
AVhat a heartrending scene ! Is there a suri-ical opera-
tion so painful as the tearing asunder of family ties?
All passions are let loose, all uncleanness hidden in the
depth of the soul stands revealed.
The Baroness took me apart and repeated to nie the
contents of a letter from her husband to Matilda : abuse
of us, and an assurance of his undying love for the girl,
in terms which proved that he had deceived us from the
very beginning.
The ball has now gained the volume of a rock ; it goes
on rolling, and crushes alike the innocent and the guilty.
In spite of all the coming and going a settlement seemed
as far off as ever.
Fresh misfortunes happened. The bank did not pay the
ordinary yearly dividend ; ruin was menacing.
The threatening poverty was made the pretext for the
divorce, for the Baron could no longer maintain his family.
For appearances’ sake he asked his colonel whether his
wife’s proposed theatrical career would in anj- way interfere
with his own. The colonel gave him to understand that
if his wife went on the stage, he would have to leave the
service. A splendid opportunity for abusing aristocratic
prejudices !
During all this time the Baroness, under medical treat-
ment for some internal trouble, continued to live at her
husband’s house, although they were now practically
separated. She was always in pain, irritable and despond-
ent, and I found it impossible to rouse lier from her deep
depression ; my strenuous effort to inspire her with some
of my youthful confidence was wasted. In vain I drew for
her glowing pictures of the career of an artist, the inde-
K
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