Gross deception he was incapable of, but he would not answer for it that, the temptation pressing him too hard, he might not be guilty of allowing Ida to think his love of more worth than it really was.

She knew his contempt of conventional ties, and her faith in him would keep her from pressing him to any step he disliked; she would trust him without that.
And such trust would be unmerited.
It was significant that he did not take into account loyalty to Maud as a help in resisting this temptation.

He was too sure of himself as regarded that purer love; let what might happen, his loyalty to Maud would be unshaken.

It was independent of passion, and passion could not shake it.
Then came the subject of the proposed acquaintance between Ida and Mrs.
Casti.

An impulse of friendship had led to his conceiving the idea; together, perhaps, with the recollection of what Ida had said about her loneliness, and the questions she had asked about Mrs.Casti.