"A Painful Case" Summary

Mr. Duffy leads a very orderly and solitary life. One night he meets a woman at the theater and strikes up a conversation with her. He meets this woman, Mrs. Sinico, several other times and they establish a pattern. Mrs. Sinico's husband is a sea captain who is often away. He views Mr. Duffy as a possible suitor for his daughter rather than as a companion to his wife.

Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico develop a very personal relationship, sharing their thoughts and feelings with each other. One day, Mrs. Sinico interprets their relationship as a romantic one. She reaches out and takes Mr. Duffy's hand. Mr. Duffy is disgusted by this action and breaks off their friendship.

Mr. Duffy returns to his solitary lifestyle. Four years later, he reads a newspaper article describing Mrs. Sinico's death...