It was too late to justify me.
"He was at an age (when I was under his care) when men are usually supposed to regard women with tranquillity, if not with indifference.

It had been the habit of years with me to look on him as my second father.
In my innocent ignorance of the feeling which really inspired him, I permitted him to indulge in little paternal familiarities with me, which inflamed his guilty passion.

His wife discovered him--not I.No words can describe my astonishment and my horror when the first outbreak of her indignation forced on me the knowledge of the truth.

On my knees I declared myself guiltless.

On my knees I implored her to do justice to my purity and my youth.