"Do you think I am shameless to admit it?
Perhaps I am, but it is fairer to him.

As you know this much, you should know the truth.

And the truth is that he has never said he loved me." Her face had become pinched and ghastly, but her mouth never quivered under this final humiliation.
"Did you ever look upon a more brazen and defenceless woman--" she began--and then very quietly and tearlessly broke down in Shiela's tender arms, face hidden on the young girl's breast.
And Shiela's heart responded passionately; but all she could find to say was: "Dear--I know--indeed, indeed I know--believe me I know and understand!" And all she could do was to gather the humbled woman into her arms until, her grief dry-spent, Virginia raised her head and looked at Shiela with strange, quenched, tearless eyes.
"We women are very helpless, very ignorant," she said, "even the worst of us.

And I doubt if in all our lives we are capable of the harm that one man refrains from doing for an hour....

And that, I think, is our only compensation....