\"Poorthing……poorthing！\"hecouldonlygoonsaying；andwiththerepetitionofthewordsthepictureofhimselfasshemustseehimpitiablytookshapeagain。
Heunderstoodthen，forthefirsttime，howvague，incomparisonwithhers，hadbeenhisownvisionoftheparthehadplayedinthebriefepisodeoftheirrelation。Theincidenthadleftinhimasenseofexasperationandself—
contempt，butthat，ashenowperceived，waschiefly，ifnotaltogether，asitboreonhispreconceivedidealofhisattitudetowardanotherwoman。Hehadfallenbelowhisownstandardofsentimentalloyalty，andifhethoughtofSophyVineritwasmainlyasthechanceinstrumentofhislapse。
Theseconsiderationswerenotagreeabletohispride，buttheywereforcedonhimbytheexampleofhervaliantcommon—sense。Ifhehadcutasorryfigureinthebusiness，heowedittohernottoclosehiseyestothefactanylonger……
Butwhenheopenedthem，whatdidhesee？Thesituation，detestableatbest，wouldyethavebeenrelativelysimpleifprotectingSophyVinerhadbeentheonlydutyinvolvedinit。Thefactthatthatdutywasparamountdidnotdoawaywiththecontingentobligations。ItwasDarrow’sinstinct，indifficultmoments，togostraighttothebottomofthedifficulty；buthehadneverbeforehadtotakesodarkadiveasthis，andfortheminuteheshiveredonthebrink……Well，hisfirstduty，atanyrate，wastothegirl：