But she was both surprised and disturbed at hearing that Stafford intended to act upon his feelings, and the very fact of her power having overcome him did him evil service in her thoughts.

The secret of his charm for her lay exactly in the attitude of renunciation that he was now abandoning.

She had been half inclined to fall in love with him just because there was no question of his falling in love with her.

Her feelings toward Eugene, which lay deeper than she confessed, had prevented her actually losing her heart, or doing more than contemplate the picture of her romantic passion, banned by all manner of awful sanctions, as a not uninteresting possibility.

By abandoning his position Stafford abandoned one great source of strength.