LIII。
AssoonasWestoverhadpostedhisletterhebegantoblamehimselfforit。HesawthattherightandmanlythingwouldhavebeentowritetoMrs。Vostrand，andtellherfranklywhathethoughtofDurgin。Herfolly，herinsincerity，hervulgarity，hadnothingtodowiththeaffair，sofarashewasconcerned。Ifshehadoncebeensokindtohimastobindhimtoheringratefulfriendship，shecertainlyhadaclaimuponhisbestoffices。Hisdutywastoher，andnotatalltoDurgin。Heneednothavesaidanythingagainsthimbecauseitwasagainsthim，butbecauseitwastrue；andifhehadwrittenhemustnothavesaidanythinglessthanthetruth。
Hecouldhavechosennottowriteatall。Hecouldhavesaidthathermawkishhypocrisywasalittletoomuch；thatshewasreallywantinghimtowhitewashDurginforher，andshehadnorighttoputuponhimtheresponsibilityforthestepsheclearlywishedtotake。Hecouldhavemadeeitherofthesedecisions，anddefendedthemtohimself；butinwhathehaddonehehadaltogethershirked。WhilehewaswritingtoDurgin，andpretendingthathecouldjustlyleavethisaffairtohim，hewassimplyindulgingabitofsentimentalpose，farworsethananythinginMrs。Vostrand’sshamappealforhishelp。
Hefelt，asthetimewentby，thatshehadnotwrittenofherownimpulse，butatherdaughter’surgence，andthatitwasthispoorcreaturewhosetrusthehadpalteredwith。HebelievedthatDurginwouldnotfailtomakeherunhappy，yethehadnotdonewhathemighttodeliverheroutofhishand。Hehadsatisfiedawretchedpseudo—
magnanimitytowardafaithlessscoundrel，ashethoughtDurgin，atthecostofawomanwhoseanxioushopeofhisaidhadprobablyforcedhermother’shand。