Gissing's next novel, "Mrs Grundy's Enemies", remained unpublished like the first, although bought for publication by Bentley & Son in 1882. George Bentley decided against publishing it despite revisions that Gissing made. Before his next novel, "The Unclassed", was published in 1884, Gissing and his wife separated, largely because Gissing would not give the time and energy to support her through increasingly chronic ill-health. He continued to pay a small alimony until her death in 1888. Between his return to England and publication of "The Unclassed", Gissing wrote 11 short stories, but only "Phoebe" appeared at the time, in the March 1884 issue of "Temple Bar".