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on me that she had been drinking。 Before the week was out； my
suspicion was a certainty。 From keeping company with drunkards；
she had grown to be a drunkard herself。
I did all a man could do to reclaim her。 Quite useless！ She had
never really returned the love I felt for her： I had no influence；
I could do nothing。 My mother； hearing of this last worse trouble；
resolved to try what her influence could do。 Ill as she was； I
found her one day dressed to go out。
〃I am not long for this world； Francis；〃 she said。 〃I shall not
feel easy on my deathbed； unless I have done my best to the last to
make you happy。 I mean to put my own fears and my own feelings out
of the question； and go with you to your wife； and try what I can
do to reclaim her。 Take me home with you； Francis。 Let me do all
I can to help my son； before it is too late。〃
How could I disobey her？ We took the railway to the town： it was
only half an hour's ride。 By one o'clock in the afternoon we
reached my house。 It was our dinner hour； and Alicia was in the
kitchen。 I was able to take my mother quietly into the parlor and
then to prepare my wife for the visit。 She had drunk but little at
that early hour； and； luckily； the devil in her was tamed for the
time。
She followed me into the parlor； and the meeting passed off better
than I had ventured to forecast； with this one drawback； that my
motherthough she tried hard to control herselfshrank from
looking my wife in the face when she spoke to her。 It was a relief
to me when Alicia began to prepare the table for dinner。
She laid the cloth； brought in the bread tray； and cut some slices
for us from the loaf。 Then she returned to the kitchen。 At that
moment； while I was still anxiously watching my mother； I was
startled by seeing the same ghastly change pass over her face which
had altered it in the morning when Alicia and she first met。
Before I could say a word； she started up with a look of horror。
〃Take me back！home； home again； Francis！ Come with me； and never
go back more！〃
I was afraid to ask for an explanation； I could only sign her to be
silent； and help her quickly to the door。 As we passed the bread
tray on the table； she stopped and pointed to it。
〃Did you see what your wife cut your bread with？〃 she asked。
〃No； mother； I was not noticing。 What was it？〃
〃Look！〃
I did look。 A new clasp knife； with a buckhorn handle； lay with
the loaf in the bread tray。 I stretched out my hand to possess
myself of it。 At the same moment； there was a noise in the
kitchen； and my mother caught me by the arm。
〃The knife of the Dream！ Francis； I'm faint with feartake me
away before she comes back！〃
I couldn't speak to comfort or even to answer her。 Superior as I
was to superstition； the discovery of the knife staggered me。 In
silence； I helped my mother out of the house； and took her home。
I held out my hand to say good…by。 She tried to stop me。
〃Don't go back； Francis！ don't go back！〃
〃I must get the knife； mother。 I must go back by the next train。〃
I held to that resolution。 By the next train I went back。
XII
My wife had； of course； discovered our secret departure from the
house。 She had been drinking。 She was in a fury of passion。 The
dinner in the kitchen was flung under the grate； the cloth was off
the parlor table。 Where was the knife？
I was foolish enough to ask for it。 She refused to give it to me。
In the course of the dispute between us which followed； I
discovered that there was a horrible story attached to the knife。
It had been used in a murderyears sinceand had been so
skillfully hidden that the authorities had been unable to produce
it at the trial。 By help of some of her disreputable friends； my
wife had been able to purchase this relic of a bygone crime。 Her
perverted nature set some horrid unacknowledged value on the knife。
Seeing there was no hope of getting it by fair means； I determined
to search for it； later in the day； in secret。 The search was
unsuccessful。 Night came on； and I left the house to walk about
the streets。 You will understand what a broken man I was by this
time； when I tell you I was afraid to sleep in the same room with
her！
Three weeks passed。 Still she refused to give up the knife； and
still that fear of sleeping in the same room with her possessed me。
I walked about at night； or dozed in the parlor； or sat watching by
my mother's bedside。 Before the end of the first week in the new
month； the worst misfortune of all befell memy mother died。 It
wanted then but a short time to my birthday。 She had longed to
live till that day。 I was present at her death。 Her last words in
this world were addressed to me。 〃Don't go back； my sondon't go
back！〃
I was obliged to go back； if it was only to watch my wife。 In the
last days of my mother's illness she had spitefully added a sting
to my grief by declaring she would assert her right to attend the
funeral。 In spite of all that I could do or say； she held to her
word。 On the day appointed for the burial she forced herself；
inflamed and shameless with drink； into my presence； and swore she
would walk in the funeral procession to my mother's grave。
This last insultafter all I had gone through alreadywas more
than I could endure。 It maddened me。 Try to make allowances for a
man beside himself。 I struck her。
The instant the blow was dealt； I repented it。 She crouched down；
silent； in a corner of the room； and eyed me steadily。 It was a
look that cooled my hot blood in an instant。 There was no time now
to think of making atonement。 I could only risk the worst； and
make sure of her till the funeral was over。 I locked her into her
bedroom。
When I came back； after laying my mother in the grave； I found her
sitting by the bedside； very much altered in look and bearing； with
a bundle on her lap。 She faced me quietly； she spoke with a
curious stillness in her voicestrangely and unnaturally composed
in look and manner。
〃No man has ever struck me yet；〃 she said。 〃My husband shall have
no second opportunity。 Set the door open； and let me go。〃
She passed me； and left the room。 I saw her walk away up the
street。 Was she gone for good？
All that night I watched and waited。 No footstep came near the
house。 The next night； overcome with fatigue； I lay down on the
bed in my clothes； with the door locked； the key on the table； and
the candle burning。 My slumber was not disturbed。 The third
night； the fourth； the fifth； the sixth； passed； and nothing
happened。 I lay down on the seventh night； still suspicious of
something happening； still in my clothes； still with the door
locked； the key on the table； and the candle burning。
My rest was disturbed。 I awoke twice； without any sensation of
uneasiness。 The third time； that horrid shivering of the night at
the