Hecametohimselfwithaslightstart，andbecameawareofanoppressive，crushingdesolation。Itwasonlyafeeling，itistrue，butitproducedonhimaphysicaleffect，asthoughhischesthadbeensqueezedinavice。Heperceivedhimselfsoextremelyforlornandlamentable，andwasmovedsodeeplybytheoppressivesorrow，thatanotherturnofthescrew，hefelt，wouldbringtearsoutofhiseyes。
Hewasdeteriorating。Fiveyearsoflifeincommonhadappeasedhislonging。Yes，long-timeago。Thefirstfivemonthsdidthat——but……
Therewasthehabit——thehabitofherperson，ofhersmile，ofhergestures，ofhervoice，ofhersilence。Shehadapurebrowandgoodhair。Howutterlywretchedallthiswas。Goodhairandfineeyes——remarkablyfine。Hewassurprisedbythenumberofdetailsthatintrudeduponhisunwillingmemory。Hecouldnothelprememberingherfootsteps，therustleofherdress，herwayofholdingherhead，herdecisivemannerofsaying\"Alvan，\"thequiverofhernostrilswhenshewasannoyed。Allthathadbeensomuchhisproperty，sointimatelyandspeciallyhis！Heragedinamournful，silentway，ashetookstockofhislosses。Hewaslikeamancountingthecostofanunluckyspeculation——irritated，depressed——exasperatedwithhimselfandwithothers，withthefortunate，withtheindifferent，withthecallous；
yetthewrongdonehimappearedsocruelthathewouldperhapshavedroppedatearoverthatspoliationifithadnotbeenforhisconvictionthatmendonotweep。Foreignersdo；theyalsokillsometimesinsuchcircumstances。Andtohishorrorhefelthimselfdriventoregretalmostthattheusagesofasocietyreadytoforgivetheshootingofaburglarforbadehim，underthecircumstances，evenasmuchasathoughtofmurder。Nevertheless，heclenchedhisfistsandsethisteethhard。Andhewasafraidatthesametime。Hewasafraidwiththatpenetratingfalteringfearthatseems，intheverymiddleofabeat，toturnone’sheartintoahandfulofdust。Thecontaminationofhercrimespreadout，taintedtheuniverse，taintedhimself；wokeupallthedormantinfamiesoftheworld；causedaghastlykindofclairvoyanceinwhichhecouldseethetownsandfieldsoftheearth，itssacredplaces，itstemplesanditshouses，peopledbymonsters——bymonstersofduplicity，lust，andmurder。Shewasamonster——hehimselfwasthinkingmonstrousthoughts……andyethewaslikeotherpeople。Howmanymenandwomenatthisverymomentwereplungedinabominations——meditatedcrimes。Itwasfrightfultothinkof。Herememberedallthestreets——thewell-to-dostreetshehadpassedonhiswayhome；alltheinnumerablehouseswithcloseddoorsandcurtainedwindows。Eachseemednowanabodeofanguishandfolly。Andhisthought，asifappalled，stoodstill，recallingwithdismaythedecorousandfrightfulsilencethatwaslikeaconspiracy；thegrim，impenetrablesilenceofmilesofwallsconcealingpassions，misery，thoughtsofcrime。Surelyhewasnottheonlyman；hiswasnottheonlyhouse……andyetnooneknew——nooneguessed。Butheknew。Heknewwithunerringcertitudethatcouldnotbedeceivedbythecorrectsilenceofwalls，ofcloseddoors，ofcurtainedwindows。Hewasbesidehimselfwithadespairingagitation，likeamaninformedofadeadlysecret——thesecretofacalamitythreateningthesafetyofmankind——thesacredness，thepeaceoflife。
Hecaughtsightofhimselfinoneofthelooking-glasses。Itwasarelief。Theanguishofhisfeelinghadbeensopowerfulthathemorethanhalfexpectedtoseesomedistortedwildfacethere，andhewaspleasantlysurprisedtoseenothingofthekind。Hisaspect，atanyrate，wouldletnooneintothesecretofhispain。Heexaminedhimselfwithattention。Histrouserswereturnedup，andhisbootsalittlemuddy，buthelookedverymuchasusual。Onlyhishairwasslightlyruffled，andthatdisorder，somehow，wassosuggestiveoftroublethathewentquicklytothetable，andbegantousethebrushes，inananxiousdesiretoobliteratethecompromisingtrace，thatonlyvestigeofhisemotion。Hebrushedwithcare，watchingtheeffectofhissmoothing；andanotherface，slightlypaleandmoretensethanwasperhapsdesirable，peeredbackathimfromthetoiletglass。Helaidthebrushesdown，andwasnotsatisfied。Hetookthemupagainandbrushed，brushedmechanically——forgothimselfinthatoccupation。Thetumultofhisthoughtsendedinasluggishflowofreflection，suchas，aftertheoutburstofavolcano，thealmostimperceptibleprogressofastreamoflava，creepinglanguidlyoveraconvulsedlandandpitilesslyobliteratinganylandmarkleftbytheshockoftheearthquake。Itisadestructivebut，bycomparison，itisapeacefulphenomenon。AlvanHerveywasalmostsoothedbythedeliberatepaceofhisthoughts。Hismorallandmarksweregoingonebyone，consumedinthefireofhisexperience，buriedinhotmud，inashes。Hewascooling——onthesurface；buttherewasenoughheatleftsomewheretomakehimslapthebrushesonthetable，andturningaway，sayinafiercewhisper：\"Iwishhimjoy……Damnthewoman。\"