It may be such an exercise of courage would have rendered the troubles that were now to follow unnecessary to her development.

For lack of it, she went about from that time with the haunting consciousness that she was one who might be found out; that she was guilty of what would go a good way to justify the hard words she had so resented.

Already the secret had begun to work conscious woe.

She contrived, however, to quiet herself a little with the idea, rather than the resolve, that, as soon as Godfrey came home, she would tell him all, confessing, too, that she had not the courage to tell his mother.

She was sure, she said to herself, he would forgive her, would set her at peace with herself, and be unfair neither to Mr.Helmer nor to her.