Virtue by John Galsworthy. Short summary

5 seconds

An employee saved a prostitute from trial by paying a fine. He told his wife, who threw her husband out of the house. The offended man wanted to go to the rescued prostitute, but his virtue would not let him.

1 minute

Insurance clerk Harold Melesh attended the trial. The prostitutes who crashed the car were on trial. Three were sentenced to prison, one was fined. The girl had no money and wept bitterly.

Harold, feeling sorry for her, gave all his money and paid the fine for her. The girl thanked him and shoved a piece of paper with her address in the man’s hand.

Melesh goes home with conflicting feelings. On the one hand he saved the girl. But on the other, he has spent the money that was meant for his family’s vacation.

At home, he confides everything to his wife. She began to shout and insult her husband, suspecting adultery. Melesh tried to calm her down and explain everything, but she threw him out of the house.

The offended man decided to take revenge on his wife. He went to the rescued prostitute. But he changed his mind and returned home.