I did not know of it, but my wife believed
I did. We were both most cruelly deceived, it does not matter now. She
is condemned to a loveless, joyless life; so am I. With a wife beautiful
loving, young, I must lead a most solitary existence--I must see my name
die out for want of heirs--I must see my race almost extinct, my life
passed in repining and misery, my heart broken, my days without
sunshine. I repeat that it is a sad fate."
"It is indeed," agreed the earl--"and such a strange one. Are you quite
sure that nothing can be done to remedy it?"
"Quite sure," was the hopeless reply.
"I can hardly understand the need for separation, seeing that the wife
herself is blameless."
"In this case it is unavoidable."
"May I, without seeming curious, ask you a question?" said the earl.
"Certainly--as many as you like."
"You can please yourself about answering it," observed the earl; and
then he added: "Tell me, is it a case of insanity? Has your wife any
hereditary tendency to anything of that kind?"
"No," replied Lord Arleigh; "it is nothing of that description. My wife
is to me perfect in body and mind; I can add nothing to that.
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