Capacity for revenge of that sort was not in her; even the imagination of it was lacking.

She would simply have resolved to give the property to Burr if she should outlive Lot, and she would have carried out her resolution.

Consciously, perhaps, this consideration was no more evident to her father and her brothers than to herself.
The Hautvilles were not mercenary, and retaliation, involving personal profit at the expense of an enemy, was not of their code.
They did have, however, a consideration no less selfish, in a way, and no less acute when they heard the news.

One and all thought, "Now Madelon will be cleared of all suspicion that she may have brought upon herself.

Nobody will believe that Lot Gordon would marry a girl who attempted his life.