Yet many, even of those who had presumably passed the same ordeal with credit, exhibited gentler judgment than the preacher's on a tergiversation of which they had probably recognized some germ in their own bosoms when in the lady's situation.
For Somerset there was but one scene: the imagined scene of the girl herself as she sat alone in the vestry.

The fervent congregation rose to sing again, and then Somerset heard a slight noise on his left hand which caused him to turn his head.

The brougham, which had retired into the field to wait, was back again at the door: the subject of his rumination came out from the chapel--not in her mystic robe of white, but dressed in ordinary fashionable costume--followed as before by the attendant with other articles of clothing on her arm, including the white gown.

Somerset fancied that the younger woman was drying her eyes with her handkerchief, but there was not much time to see: they quickly entered the carriage, and it moved on.

Then a cat suddenly mewed, and he saw a white Persian standing forlorn where the carriage had been.