Kept in the Dark

But when she had read it again and again, she began to perceive that it was so; "Pray believe it. We have now parted for ever." Had he stopped there her belief would have only been half-hearted.

Secrecy plot crystallizes as eternal separation sentence — withheld episode becomes desertion engine — so plot scores 85.

Yes;--Sir Francis Geraldine was a beast for mischief! Thinking the matter over, he resolved that Mr. Western should not be left in the dark as to his wife's episode.

Villain named by title-phrase before letter arrives — cast as deliberate enlightener — so cast scores 84.

He had expected that the lady would at once have flown into his arms. But the lady seemed to hesitate, and asked for a week to think about it.

Week of hesitation stalls Altifiorla subplot while Cecilia waits — serial calendar inside jealousy — so pace scores 84.

"I have made a mistake." "No, George, no, don't say so. There has been no mistake. A man should own nothing. I have thought about it and am sure of it."

Husband confession met by wife's refusal to allow owning — moral English as tug of pronouns — so prose scores 85.

They had a house without the city, with a garden and a gardener and two boys, and they kept a brougham, which was the joint care of the gardener and the boy inside and the boy outside.

Provincial comfort inventory before episode — secrecy world as Exeter respectability — so world scores 81.

There came an episode in the life of Cecilia Holt which it is essential should first be told. When she was twenty-two years old she was living with her mother at Exeter.

Prior episode forced before marriage plot — hook as necessary secret — so hook scores 86.

he resolved that Mr. Western should not be left in the dark as to his wife's episode.

Novel titled as the husband's ignorance and the mischief of enlightenment — form as withheld prior engagement — so innov scores 87.

"Will you not pardon me when I ask you?" "I cannot bring myself to say such a word. You know that it is all right between us. I cannot speak the word which you shall never be made to hear. I am the happiest woman now in all England, and you must not force me to say that which shall in any way lessen my glory."

Reconciliation without spoken pardon — ending as restored joy with asymmetrical speech — so ending scores 85.