Chapter 21

Suspicious Women

Itisnotwrongifawomaniswatchfulofherhusband,butonlyifitdoes
notexceedtoastateofsuspicionandmistrust.Suspicionisadestructive
and incurable illness. Unfortunately some womenare affected by this
disease.

Awomanofsuspicionimaginesthat herhusbandis,lawfullyorun-
lawfully,disloyaltoher.Sheimaginesthatheismarriedtoanotherwo-
manorthatheisgoingtomarryher.Shesuspectshimofhavinganaf-
fairwithhissecretaryoranotherwoman.Shelosestrustinhimbecause
hecomeshomelateorhewasseentalkingtoawoman.Ifhehelpsawid-
owandher children,thewifemaythinkthat hehasaninterestin her,
otherthanacharitableone.Ifanywomangivesherhusbandacompli-
ment,sayingthatheishandsomeorwell-mannered,sheconcludesthat
heisinterestedinthatwoman.Uponfindingastrandofhairinhiscar,
she thinks there is another woman in his life.

Suchwomenwiththesethoughtsandinconclusiveproofgraduallyas-
sume certainty regarding their husbands' unfaithfulness. They think
aboutiteverydayandnight.Theyalsotellothers,friendsandfoesabout
it,who,in thename ofsympathy, reinforce theallegationsandin turn
tell the concerned women about other unfaithful men.

Argumentsandrowsstarttotakeshape.Thewomanbeginstoignore
theaffairsofthehouseandthechildrenandmightevengoto herpar-
ents.Shewouldmonitorhimandsearchhispockets.Shewouldreadhis
letters and would explain any trivial matter as due to his unfaithfulness.

Withthisattitude,shewouldmakethefamily'slifehardandturnthe
houseintoaburninghellinwhichshewouldalsosuffer.Ifherhusband