"He alwaysseemed very fond of them. Even if he was tired of me, I wonder that he had theheart to leave them. It's all so incredible. Even now I can hardly believe it'strue. "

At last sheshowed me the letter he had written. I was curious to see it, but had not venturedto ask for it.

"MY DEARAMY,

"I thinkyou will find everything all right in the flat. I have given Anne yourinstructions, and dinner will be ready for you and the children when you come.I shall not be there to meet you. I have made up my mind to live apart fromyou, and I am going to Paris in the morning. I shall post this letter on myarrival. I shall not come back. My decision is irrevocable.

"Yoursalways,

"CHARLESSTRICKLAND. "

"Not aword of explanation or regret. Don't you think it's inhuman?"

"It's avery strange letter under the circumstances, " I replied.

"There'sonly one explanation, and that is that he's not himself. I don't know who thiswoman is who's got hold of him, but she's made him into another man. It'sevidently been going on a long time. "

"Whatmakes you think that?"

"Fredfound that out. My husband said he went to the club three or four nights a weekto play bridge. Fred knows one of the members, and said something about Charlesbeing a great bridge-player. The man was surprised. He said he'd never evenseen Charles in the card-room. It's quite clear now that when I thought Charleswas at his club he was with her. "

“他好象一直很喜欢这两个孩子。即使他对我厌倦了，我不理解他怎么会忍心把孩子也抛弃了。这一切简直令人不能置信。到了今天我也不能相信这会是真事。”

最后她把他写来的信拿出来给我看。我本来就有些好奇，可是一直没敢大胆提出来。

亲爱的阿美：

我想你会发现家中一切都已安排好。你嘱咐安妮的事我都已转告她。你同孩子到家以后晚饭会给你们准备好。我将不能迎接你们了。我已决心同你分居另过，明晨我就去巴黎。这封信我等到巴黎后再发出。我不回来了。我的决定不能更改了。

永远是你的，查理斯·思特里克兰德

“没有一句解释的话，也丝毫没有表示歉仄不安。你是不是觉得这人太没有人性了？”

“在这种情况下这封信是很奇怪，”我回答。

“只有一个解释，那就是他人已经变了。我不知道是哪个女人把他抓在手掌里，但是她肯定把他变成另外一个人了。事情非常清楚，这件事已经进行了很长一段时间了。”

“你这么想有什么根据？”

“弗雷德已经发现了。我丈夫总是说每星期他要去俱乐部打三四个晚上桥牌。弗雷德认识那个俱乐部的一个会员，有一次同他说起查理斯喜欢打桥牌的事。这个人非常惊讶，他说他从来没有在玩牌的屋子看见过查理斯。这就非常清楚了，我以为查理斯在俱乐部的时间，实际上他是在同那个女人厮混。”