She must be practically a woman now.

I don't know where she is--there's now no way for me to learn.
And I don't want to know.

And I don't want her ever to know about me.
I don't ever want to be the cause of making her feel disgraced, or of dragging her down from among the people where she belongs." The Duchess gave no visible sign of emotion, but her ancient heart-strings were set vibrating by that tense, low-pitched voice.

She had a momentary impulse to tell him the truth.

But just then the Duchess was a confusion of many conflicting impulses, and the balance of their strength was for the moment against telling.