However, twenty years later he falls in love with a reclusive artist famous for her work, which turns out to be Claire herself, who has not drowned at all. For the remainder of the play, Claire and her friend Laura mock L'Estranger with biting wit, and he in turn eventually concedes that he had not valued his wife as he should have.
After twenty years, the protagonist develops romantic feelings for a reclusive artist, who is later revealed to be Claire herself, who has not perished as initially believed. Throughout the play, Claire and her friend Laura engage in witty banter with L'Estranger, while he eventually acknowledges his past neglect of his wife.