He said, in a lower voice: 'If I _had_ yielded to temptation, if I had so far lost control of myself as to speak a word to her which at once and for ever altered our relations, do you think I should have tried to keep secret what had happened?
Do you think I could have conceived a desire which had _her_ suffering for its end?
Are you so embittered that you can imagine of me nothing better than that?
You think I could have made _her_ my victim ?' Grail read his face.

The emphasis of this speech was deliberate, could not be misunderstood.

For the first time Gilbert turned and moved a little apart.
Walter had not the exclusive privilege of being an idealist.

When at length he spoke out of his deepest feeling, when he revealed, though but indirectly, the meaning of his agitation, of his evasions, and doubtful behaviour, he had found the way of convincing his hearer.

It was a new blow to Gilbert, but it put an end to his darkest fears and to the misery of his misjudgment.