As he leaves his wife, Alexis offers as the motive for his departure the quest for a more complete sexual liberty unblemished with falsehood; and certainly this reason remains the most decisive one. Yet it is probable that other motivations are involved which are even more difficult for the departing person to admit, such as a longing to escape from a prefabricated comfort and respectability, of which Monique had become, despite herself, the living symbol. Alexis adorns his young wife with every virtue, as if by thus increasing the distance between her and himself he would find it easier to justify his leave-taking. I have sometimes thought of composing a response from Monique, which, without in the least contradicting the confession of Alexis, would clarify certain aspects of this experience and give us a less idealized but more complete image of this young woman. But for now I have abandoned that project. Nothing is more secret than a woman’s existence. The tale of Monique would probably be much more difficult to write than the admissions of Alexis.