The story spread quickly through the Hall, and Dawson brought it to me.

On hearing it, my first thought was of Madge.

I knew it would soon reach her.

Therefore I determined to go to her at once and make a clean breast of all my perfidy.

Had I done so sooner, I should at least have had the benefit of an honest, voluntary confession; but my conscience had made a coward of me, and the woman who had been my curse for years had so completely disturbed my mind that I should have been quite as well off without any at all.