time he thoroughly understood what had happened to her, and how far
apart they were now. But looking first at one cub, then at another, and
having them sprawling over his lap, he forgot himself, only watching the
pretty scene, and taking pleasure in it. Now and then he would stroke
his vixen and kiss her, liberties which she freely allowed him. He
marvelled more than ever now at her beauty; for her gentleness with the
cubs and the extreme delight she took in them seemed to him then to make
her more lovely than before. Thus lying amongst them at the mouth of the
earth he idled away the whole of the morning.

First he would play with one, then with another, rolling them over and
tickling them, but they were too young yet to lend themselves to any
other more active sport than this. Every now and then he would stroke
his vixen, or look at her, and thus the time slipped away quite fast and
he was surprised when she gathered her cubs together and pushed them
before her into the earth, then coming back to him once or twice very
humanly bid him "Good-bye and that she hoped she would see him soon
again, now he had found out the way."

So admirably did she express her meaning that it would have been
superfluous for her to have spoken had she been able, and Mr. Tebrick,
who was used to her, got up at once and went home.

But now that he was alone, all the feelings which he had not troubled
himself with when he was with her, but had, as it were, put aside till
after his innocent pleasures were over, all these came swarming back to
assail him in a hundred tormenting ways.

Firstly he asked himself: Was not his wife unfaithful to him, had she
not prostituted herself to a beast? Could he still love her after that?