'
'You may feel as certain as you will, but your words and your
example have influenced my wife against me. You didn't intend
that; I don't suppose it for a moment. It's my misfortune, that's
all.'
'That I intended nothing of the kind, you need hardly say, I
should think. But you are deceiving yourself in the strangest
way. I'm afraid to speak plainly; I'm afraid of offending you.
But can you recall something that I said about the time of your
marriage? You didn't like it then, and certainly it won't be
pleasant to you to remember it now. If you mean that your wife
has grown unkind to you because you are unfortunate, there's no
need to examine into other people's influence for an explanation
of that.'
Reardon turned his face towards the speaker.
'Then you have always regarded my wife as a woman likely to fail
me in time of need?'
'I don't care to answer a question put in that way. If we are no
longer to talk with the old friendliness, it's far better we
shouldn't discuss things such as this.'
'Well, practically you have answered. Of course I remember those
words of yours that you refer to.
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