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As it was, even in the course of these three days, the youngest

was unwell from being given unwholesome soup, and the others had

almost gone without their dinner the day before. She was

conscious that it was impossible to go away; but, cheating

herself, she went on all the same sorting out her things and

pretending she was going.

Seeing her husband, she dropped her hands into the drawer of the

bureau as though looking for something, and only looked round at

him when he had come quite up to her. But her face, to which she

tried to give a severe and resolute expression, betrayed

bewilderment and suffering.