His visit confirmed his worst fears, and the doctor seemed surprised that he had never noticed the gradual change in his wife's appearance. Even he had seen it, casually meeting her in the street. Luke walked home as if in a dream. The letters in his pocket were absolutely forgotten; his one thought was Rachel. He opened the door of the house softly and went up into his study. He felt he could not meet his wife till he had looked the terrible truth in the face. The thought that he might possibly lose her was too painful to him to be able to bear calmly, and yet he knew that he must not give her any hint as to his fears. He shut the door of his study after him and sank into the large armchair by the fire burying his face in his hands. The fire! Even that seemed to cry out in condemnation of his selfishness. Of course Rachel had lit his fire so that his room might be warm and comfortable for him, while she probably had had no fire to sit by except that in the kitchen. He had been so preoccupied with his own interests and concerns that he had scarcely given a thought to hers. His mother had said, that the doctor gave it out as his opinion that she had not eaten enough. How was it that this fact had never been noticed by him! She always supplied him with plenty, and it had not struck him to notice what food she had provided for herself. Husband and child had never wanted for anything. The doctor had said that she was thoroughly overworked. And yet he had never noticed how she was getting thin and pale! How often had he asked her to do things for him so that he might go off to some meeting or other, and it had never crossed his mind that the anxiety of leaving Pat with inexperienced Polly must have added to the strain. Then he had never shared in the care of the child; in fact he had at times asked Rachel to do what she could to keep him quiet as his crying somewhat disturbed him working. Not many weeks after his birth he had moved his bed into his dressing room, as the child's restlessness prevented him sleeping, and he felt his sleep to be all important to his work. He had never realised that Rachel also wanted an occasional night's rest. And what had she not given up for him! Her luxurious home, where she had every comfort; her mother and sisters who had petted and loved her; her out of door pursuits; her flowers which she loved so passionately; her ease and her friends. And what had he given up for her in return? Nothing! Nothing! In exchange for all her home comforts, he had given her a pokey little house, poverty, overwork, and strain! He was indeed in the Valley of Humiliation!