The tenderness which he had lately betrayed, had now disappeared, and he once more relapsed into a chilling solemnity.
I told him that I was preparing to return to my brother's; that I had come hither to vindicate my innocence from the foul aspersions which he had cast upon it.

My pride had not taken refuge in silence or distance.
I had not relied upon time, or the suggestion of his cooler thoughts, to confute his charges.

Conscious as I was that I was perfectly guiltless, and entertaining some value for his good opinion, I could not prevail upon myself to believe that my efforts to make my innocence manifest, would be fruitless.

Adverse appearances might be numerous and specious, but they were unquestionably false.

I was willing to believe him sincere, that he made no charges which he himself did not believe; but these charges were destitute of truth.