He had married her to please Hudig, and the greatness of his sacrifice ought to have made her happy without any further exertion on his part.

She had years of glory as Willems' wife, and years of comfort, of loyal care, and of such tenderness as she deserved.

He had guarded her carefully from any bodily hurt; and of any other suffering he had no conception.

The assertion of his superiority was only another benefit conferred on her.

All this was a matter of course, but he told her all this so as to bring vividly before her the greatness of her loss.