And so we are, in spite of Nature's wry face and shiver at a mention of what we went through during those days, those horrible days:--hide them! The smothering of them from sight set them sounding he had to listen.
Colney Durance accused him of entering into bonds with somebody's grandmother for the simple sake of browsing on her thousands: a picture of himself too abhorrent to Victor to permit of any sort of acceptance.
Consequently he struck away to the other extreme of those who have a choice in mixed motives: he protested that compassion had been the cause of it.

Looking at the circumstance now, he could see, allowing for human frailty-perhaps a wish to join the ranks of the wealthy compassion for the woman as the principal motive.

How often had she not in those old days praised his generosity for allying his golden youth to her withered age--Mrs.Burman's very words! And she was a generous woman or had been: she was generous in saying that.

Well, and she was generous in having a well-born, well-bred beautiful young creature like Nataly for her companion, when it was a case of need for the dear girl; and compassionately insisting, against remonstrances: they were spoken by him, though they were but partial.

How, then, had she become--at least, how was it that she could continue to behave as the vindictive Fury who persecuted remorselessly, would give no peace, poisoned the wells round every place where he and his dear one pitched their tent! But at last she had come to charity, as he could well believe.