the time."

"That she forgave it quickly means that she had something bad in
her mind. Young wives do not forgive quickly."

The examining magistrate gave a forced smile, and, to conceal his
too noticeable agitation, began lighting a cigarette.

"Not likely, not likely," he went on. "No notion of anything of the
sort being possible ever entered into my head. . . . And besides
. . . he was not so much to blame as it seems. . . . He was unfaithful
to her in rather a queer way, with no desire to be; he came home
at night somewhat elevated, wanted to make love to somebody, his
wife was in an interesting condition . . . then he came across a
lady who had come to stay for three days--damnation take her--
an empty-headed creature, silly and not good-looking. It couldn't
be reckoned as an infidelity. His wife looked at it in that way
herself and soon . . . forgave it. Nothing more was said about
it. . . ."

"People don't die without a reason," said the doctor.

"That is so, of course, but all the same . . . I cannot admit that
she poisoned herself. But it is strange that the idea has never
struck me before! And no one thought of it! Everyone was astonished
that her prediction had come to pass, and the idea . . . of such a
death was far from their mind. And indeed, it cannot be that she
poisoned herself! No!"

The examining magistrate pondered. The thought of the woman who had