For as her murderous perspective, before the doing of the deed, however subtle the precautions for its commission, would have been closed up by a gigantic dilatation of the hateful figure, preventing her from seeing any consequences beyond it; and as those consequences would have rushed in, in an unimagined flood, the moment the figure was laid low—­which always happens when a murder is done; so, now she sees that when he used to be on the watch before her, and she used to think, “if some mortal stroke would but fall on this old man and take him from my way!” it was but wishing that all he held against her in his hand might be flung to the winds and chance-sown in many places.  So, too, with the wicked relief she has felt in his death.  What was his death but the key-stone of a gloomy arch removed, and now the arch begins to fall in a thousand fragments, each crushing and mangling piecemeal!

Thus, a terrible impression steals upon and overshadows her that from this pursuer, living or dead—­obdurate and imperturbable before her in his well-remembered shape, or not more obdurate and imperturbable in his coffin-bed—­there is no escape but in death.  Hunted, she flies.  The complication of her shame, her dread, remorse, and misery, overwhelms her at its height; and even her strength of self-reliance is overturned and whirled away like a leaf before a mighty wind.

She hurriedly addresses these lines to her husband, seals, and leaves them on her table: 

If I am sought for, or accused of, his murder, believe that I am wholly innocent.  Believe no other good of me, for I am innocent of nothing else that you have heard, or will hear, laid to my charge.  He prepared me, on that fatal night, for his disclosure of my guilt to you.  After he had left me, I went out on pretence of walking in the garden where I sometimes walk, but really to follow him and make one last petition that he would not protract the dreadful suspense on which I have been racked by him, you do not know how long, but would mercifully strike next morning.

I found his house dark and silent.  I rang twice at his door, but there was no reply, and I came home.

I have no home left.  I will encumber you no more.  May you, in your just resentment, be able to forget the unworthy woman on whom you have wasted a most generous devotion—­who avoids you only with a deeper shame than that with which she hurries from herself—­and who writes this last adieu.

She veils and dresses quickly, leaves all her jewels and her money, listens, goes downstairs at a moment when the hall is empty, opens and shuts the great door, flutters away in the shrill frosty wind.

CHAPTER LVI

Pursuit