I could only feel happy, so I lay down upon my bed and soon dropped off to sleep.
When I awakened I was rapt in peace, for I had again found my treasured faith in womankind.

I had hardly dared include Madge in my backsliding, but I had come perilously near doing it, and the thought of my narrow escape from such perfidy frightened me.

I have never taken the risk since that day.

I would not believe the testimony of my own eyes against the evidence of my faith in Madge.
I knew that Thomas was Sir John Manners, and yet I did not know it certainly.

I determined, if possible, to remain in partial ignorance, hoping that I might with some small show of truth be able to plead ignorance should Sir George accuse me of bad faith in having failed to tell him of John's presence in Haddon Hall.