Not his passionate love to herself, but his unselfishness toward others, his apparently happy religion, his energetic interest in all good and charitable schemes--these had reconciled her more than anything else to the step she had taken, the downward step, in marrying him.
This unconscious influence of Roland's life and character had been working secretly and slowly upon her nature for several years.

They were very young when they were married, and her first feeling of resentment toward her own family for pressing on the marriage had at the outset somewhat embittered her against her young husband.

But this had gradually worn away, and Felicita had never been so near loving him heartily and deeply as during the last year or two, when it was evident that his attachment to her was as loyal and as tender as ever.

He had almost won her, when he staked all and lost all.
For now, she asked herself, what was the worth of all this religion, which presented so fair a face to her?
She had a delicate sense of honor and truthfulness, which never permitted her to swerve into any byways of expediency or convenience.

What use was Roland's religion without truthfulness and honor?
She said to herself that there was no excuse for him even feeling tempted to deal with another man's property.