Tell me all you have to say for yourself." "Nothing." "Nothing?
What do you mean ?" It may seem an odd thing to assert, and a more difficult thing still to prove, but Miss Gascoigne was not at heart a bad woman.

She had a fierce temper and an enormous egotism, yet these two qualities, in the strangely composite characters that one meets with in life, are not incompatible with many good qualities.
Pain, most sincere and undisguised, not unmingled with actual pity, was visible in Miss Gascoigne's countenance as she looked on the young creature before her, to whom her words had caused such violent emotion.

For this emotion her narrow nature--always so ready to look on human nature in its worst side, and to suspect wherever suspicion could alight--found but one interpretation--guilt.
She drew back, terrified at what her interference had done.

What if the story should prove to be, not mere idle gossip, but actual scandal--the sort of scandal which would cast a slur forever on the whole Grey family, herself included?
There, above all, the fear struck home.

Suppose she had meddled in a matter which no lady could touch without indecorum, perhaps actual defilement?
Suppose, in answer to her entreaty, Christian should confide to her something which no lady ought to hear?
What a fearful position for her--Miss Gascoigne--to be placed in! What should she say to Dr.Grey?
Hard as her heart might be, this thought touched the one soft place in it.
Her voice actually trembled as she said, "Your poor husband! what would become of him ?" Christian sprang up with a shrill cry.