It was an evening in October. Wakefield picked up his suitcase, kissed his wife, and said goodbye. "I am going into the country", he told her, "I may be away for three or four days". His wife knew his love of mystery and so, she did not ask the reason for his journey.
Wakefield gave her a sickly smile through the open door, and in a moment he was gone. He hurried along the busy street, and dissapeared among the crowd. "People are watching me", he thought. "they will see where I go and tell my wife".
He heard feet close behind, and feared that somebody was trying to catch him... A voice in the crowd called out, and he thought that it called his name...But Wakefield had no cause for fear. No eye followed him.
After several turns in different directions, he went to a lodging house in the next street. There he stayed in a small room that was already booked for him, and his journey ended.
Wakefield was a quiet little man, about fifty years old.
He seemed to be a good husband, not the sort of man to leave his wife. He soon began to feel sorry about his actions. He was lonely at his lodgings.
He seemed to be a good husband, not the sort of man to leave his wife. He soon began to feel sorry about his actions. He was lonely at his lodgings.
He asked himself why he left his wife. He supposed he had a reason but he could not remember it. Wakefield could not sleep that night. In the morning, he got up early and tried to think what to do. He wondered how his wife would manage without him. He had a sudden desire to find out.
"I will stay at the lodgings for a week and watch her", he decided. Wakefield went off. He planned to go to the end of his street and take a quick look towards his house. But, like a man in a dream, he went to the door.
The sound of his foot on the door step woke him. Wakefield!. Where are you going?. He hurried away. He was shaking with fear and breathing heavily. He did not dare to turn his head until he reached the end of the street. There he stopped and looked at his home.
He saw his wife through the front window. She was looking towards the end of the street. The brainless man feared that she noticed him. He turned and ran back to his lodgings.
After this dangerous little adventure, Wakefield thought of a safer idea.
He changed his looks. He changed the colour of his hair to red, and dressed in clothes that were unlike his usual brown suit. He looked a different man. "My wife wont recognize me now", he thought.
Wakefield´s feelings now hardened. He decided to leave his wife for longer than a week. She doesn´t miss me yet, he thought, I will wait until she´s afraid. Two of three times in the next two weeks she passed before his eyes. Each time she walked with a heavier step, her face was whiter. and she looked more worried.
In the third week, Wakefield saw a docter enter his house.
Dear woman. Will she die ?. Wakefield wondered. He was a little saddened. but he still stayed away from his wife. He made the excuse. I mustn´t worry her if she is ill. After a few weeks, his wife was quiet well again. The danger is over. She doesn ´t need me now. Wakefield said to himself.
His lodgings were only in the next street, but it now seemed a different world. This thought passed through Wakefields troubled mind.
I won´t return yet. he decided, perhaps next week. One day.
Twenty years passed. During that time Wakefield saw his home every day. He also often caught sight of his sad wife. Misses Wakefield heard no news of her husband. She was supposed that he was dead. Then one evening, Wakefield, now old and bent, went for his usual walk towards his old home.
It was a wet night in Autumn and a strong wind was blowing. Wakefield stopped near his house. Through the windows of the sitting room he saw the red light of a warm fire. The shadow of good Misses Wakefield was dancing on the wall. At that moment, the wind blew the rain into Wakefields face. He was wet through to the skin and very cold.
Don´t stand in the street, man, Go inside. Wakefield said to himself. There is a good fire to warm you. and your wife will get some dry clothes for you. Wakefields tired old legs slowly climbed the steps.He entered the house like a man who has been away only for the day. He gave his wife a little smile and closed the door.
