Now, indeed, was a time when the heavenly compensations to which religion invites the thoughts of the sorrowful might surely have been a source of dome relief.

But a certain cruel clearness of vision, or so at least it seemed to her, made all reflections on this theme but an aggravation of her despair.

Since the shadow had fallen on her life, with every day the sense of shame and grief had grown more insupportable.

In proportion as her loathing of the sin had grown, her anguish on account of it had increased.

It was a poison-tree which her tears watered and caused to shoot forth yet deeper roots, yet wider branches, overspreading her life with ever denser, more noxious shadows.