I require no help from your
conscience."

"You can resist, and resist again! Instead of hating you I could, I
think, mourn for and pity you, if you were contrite, and would confess
all. Forgive you I never can. I don't speak of your lover--I will give
you the benefit of the doubt in that matter, for it only affects me
personally. But the other--had you half-killed me, had it been that you
wilfully took the sight away from these feeble eyes of mine, I could
have forgiven you. But THAT'S too much for nature!"

"Say no more. I will do without your pity. But I would have saved you
from uttering what you will regret."

"I am going away now. I shall leave you."

"You need not go, as I am going myself. You will keep just as far away
from me by staying here."

"Call her to mind--think of her--what goodness there was in her--it
showed in every line of her face! Most women, even when but slightly
annoyed, show a flicker of evil in some curl of the mouth or some corner
of the cheek; but as for her, never in her angriest moments was there
anything malicious in her look. She was angered quickly, but she forgave
just as readily, and underneath her pride there was the meekness of a
child. What came of it?--what cared you? You hated her just as she was
learning to love you. O! couldn't you see what was best for you, but
must bring a curse upon me, and agony and death upon her, by doing that
cruel deed! What was the fellow's name who was keeping you company and
causing you to add cruelty to her to your wrong to me? Was it Wildeve?
Was it poor Thomasin's husband? Heaven, what wickedness! Lost your
voice, have you? It is natural after detection of that most noble
trick....Eustacia, didn't any tender thought of your own mother lead you
to think of being gentle to mine at such a time of weariness? Did not
one grain of pity enter your heart as she turned away? Think what a vast
opportunity was then lost of beginning a forgiving and honest course.
Why did not you kick him out, and let her in, and say I'll be an honest
wife and a noble woman from this hour? Had I told you to go and quench
eternally our last flickering chance of happiness here you could have
done no worse. Well, she's asleep now; and have you a hundred gallants,
neither they nor you can insult her any more."

"You exaggerate fearfully," she said in a faint, weary voice; "but I
cannot enter into my defence--it is not worth doing. You are nothing to
me in future, and the p