He refused to believe long that Blossom would be ashamed of him ; he knew she would not . Three years could not so alter her loyal nature -- no , nor ten times three years . But she would be changed -- she would have grown away from him in those three busy , brilliant years . His companionship could no longer satisfy her . How simple and childish he had been to expect it ! She would be sweet and kind -- Blossom could never be anything else . She would not show open discontent or dissatisfaction ; she would not be like Lauretta Bradley ; but it would be there , and he would divine it , and it would break his heart . Mrs. Blewett was right . When he had given Blossom up he should not have made a half-hearted thing of his sacrifice -- he should not have bound her to come back to him . He walked about in his little garden until late at night , under the stars , with the sea crooning and calling to him down the slope . When he finally went to bed he did not sleep , but lay until morning with tear-wet eyes and despair in his heart . All the forenoon he went about his usual daily work absently . Frequently he fell into long reveries , standing motionless wherever he happened to be , and looking dully before him . Only once did he show any animation . When he saw Mrs. Blewett coming up the lane he darted into the house , locked the door , and listened to her knocking in grim silence . After she had gone he went out , and found a plate of fresh doughnuts , covered with a napkin , placed on the bench at the door . Mrs. Blewett meant to indicate thus that she bore him no malice for her curt dismissal the day before ; possibly her conscience gave her some twinges also . But her doughnuts could not minister to the mind she had diseased . Old Man Shaw took them up ; carried them to the pig-pen , and fed them to the pigs . It was the first spiteful thing he had done in his life , and he felt a most immoral satisfaction in it .
In mid-afternoon he went out XXXXX the garden , finding the new loneliness of the little house unbearable .
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