Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part IV - III
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266 THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL
But the fire had been kindled, and the flames could
not be extinguished.
She had deceived me.
I must know the name of my rival !
The following week was one of the darkest of my
whole life.
I fought a desperate fight against all those inbred
principles which we inlierit, or, rather, which we acquire
through education. I resolved to open Marie’s letters
and make sure how I stood with her. And yet, although
I allowed her to open all connnunications which came
for me during my absence, I recoiled from tampering
with the sacred law of the inviolability of letters, this
most subtle obligation imposed on us by silent agreement
between the whole community.
But my desire to know the full truth was stronger
than my sense of honour, and a day dawned when
the sacred law was forgotten. A letter had arrived ;
I opened it with trembling fingers ; my hands shook
as if they were unfolding the death-warrant of my
honour.
It was a letter from the adventuress, friend No. 1.
The subject of it was my insanity, mockingly, con-
temptuously discussed ; it concluded with a prayer tliat
God might soon deliver ’’her dear Marie" from her
martyrdom by extinguishing the last glinuner of my
reason.
I copied the v/orst passages, re-sealed the envelope,
and laid the letter aside, ready to hand it to my wife
with the evening mail. When the time came I gave it
to her, and sat down by her side to watch her while
she read it.
When she came to the part where the writer prayed
for my death—at the top of the second page—she burst
into shrill laughter.
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