He had acted honestly at the beginning, and afterwards he had done what he could so long as he could.

It was inevitable that she must be hurt, even if he had married, not giving her what he had given this dompteuse.

After all, was it so terrible?
It could not affect her much in the eyes of the world.

And her heart?
He did not flatter himself.

Yet he knew that it would be the thing--the fallen idol--that would grieve her more than thought of the man.