Het verborgen leven

Summary

Rose lives a lonely life with her husband, Professor Arundell, who is too busy studying the evolution of woman to notice the woman languishing on his hearth. Whilst walking in the countryside one day, Rose meets Captain Robert Carey, who, before joining the army, was the sweetheart of her youth. She is warmed by his enthusiasm and sympathy. The Professor is only too glad for anybody to entertain his wife, so that he can continue his studies undisturbed. After the Captain leaves, a child is born to Rose and for the first time the Professor takes an interest in something else than his books.

Five years later, when Robert returns from military service abroad, he finds Rose a devoted mother and a happy wife, but recognizing the likeness of her little daughther to himself, he implores Rose to leave the country with him. Torn between love for the father of her child and pity for the husband who believes the child to be his own, Rose begs Robert not to disturb her present happiness. He departs, but sends a passionate letter of appeal which falls into the hands of the unscrupulous pianist, Godowski, who is enamoured of Rose, and who threatens to expose her secret if she rejects his advances. Godowski invites Robert to a party where Rose and her husband are also guests. Hearing that Rose will not come to him because of her duty to her husband, Robert shoots himself. Furious at Rose's grief for the dead man, Godowski again threatens her. Their conversation is overheard by the Professor who thus discovers the truth. Broken hearted, he banishes Rose into the country and clings to little Dora who has become even dearer than his books. When Dora falls ill, Rose returns to the city by aeroplane and nurses her back to a new life in which husband and wife are reunited by mutual love for the child.