He was well aware of that.

No one could be harder upon him in that matter than was he himself.

But it was too late now to remedy the ill effects of an early education.
It was thus that he debated the matter as he lay in bed, contradicting one argument by another over and over again; but still in all of them teaching himself to think that this engagement of his was a misfortune.

Poor Lily! Her last words to him had conveyed an assurance that she would never distrust him.

And she also, as she lay wakeful in her bed on this the first morning of his absence, thought much of their mutual vows.