Lots of big logical leaps in the comments. Dunno if they're correct, not gonna judge other people's theories. My take is this; he failed to understand her circumstances and her feelings for him, and was forced to leave for 3 years. Only realizing her love for him with the cut-off pinky after coming back, he understood after the fact and realized that she had lost her value, was forced to prostitute herself, and eventually was bought or died. His uncle, by some means, took in the daughter the courtesan had (and for which she lost her value), and he recognized the relation immediately. He has spent all this time trying to connect with his daughter out of either guilt or familial love, but his social ineptitude has only served to alienate him from her.