The Schoolmaster and other stories - Penn State University

The Schoolmaster & other storiesThe examining magistrate turned quickly, facing thedoctor, and screwing up his eyes, asked:“And from what do you conclude that she poisonedherself?”“I don’t conclude it, but I assume it. Was she on goodterms with her husband?”“H’m, not altogether. There had been misunderstandingssoon after their marriage. There were unfortunatecircumstances. She had found her husband on one occasionwith a lady. She soon forgave him however.”“And which came first, her husband’s infidelity or heridea of dying?”The examining magistrate looked attentively at thedoctor as though he were trying to imagine why he putthat question.“Excuse me,” he said, not quite immediately. “Let metry and remember.” The examining magistrate took offhis hat and rubbed his forehead. “Yes, yes … it was veryshortly after that incident that she began talking ofdeath. Yes, yes.”“Well, there, do you see? … In all probability it wasat that time that she made up her mind to poison herself,but, as most likely she did not want to kill her childalso, she put it off till after her confinement.”“Not likely, not likely! … it’s impossible. She forgavehim at the time.”“That she forgave it quickly means that she had somethingbad in her mind. Young wives do not forgivequickly.”The examining magistrate gave a forced smile, and,to conceal his too noticeable agitation, began lighting acigarette.“Not likely, not likely,” he went on. “No notion of anythingof the sort being possible ever entered into myhead…. And besides … he was not so much to blame asit seems…. He was unfaithful to her in rather a queerway, with no desire to be; he came home at night somewhatelevated, wanted to make love to somebody, hiswife was in an interesting condition … then he cameacross a lady who had come to stay for three days—damnation take her—an empty-headed creature, sillyand not good-looking. It couldn’t be reckoned as an in-30