Inthisstateofmind，IresolvedtoconfessmyselftoLudlowinthewaythatherequired，reservingonlythesecretofthisfaculty。Awful，indeed，saidI，isthecrisisofmyfate。IfLudlow\'sdeclarationsaretrue，ahorridcatastropheawaitsme:
butasfastasmyresolutionswereshaken，theywereconfirmedanewbytherecollection——Whocanbetraymebutmyself？IfIdeny，whoistherecanprove？Suspicioncanneverlightuponthetruth。Ifitdoes，itcanneverbeconvertedintocertainty。Evenmyownlipscannotconfirmit，sincewhowillbelievemytestimony？
BysuchillusionswasIfortifiedinmydesperateresolution。
Ludlowreturnedatthetimeappointed。HeinformedmethatMrs。
Beningtonexpectedmenextmorning。Shewasreadytodepartforhercountryresidence，wheresheproposedtospendtheensuingsummer，andwouldcarrymealongwithher。Inconsequenceofthisarrangement，hesaid，manymonthswouldelapsebeforeheshouldseemeagain。Youwillindeed，continuedhe，beprettymuchshutupfromallsociety。Yourbooksandyournewfriendwillbeyourchief，ifnotonlycompanions。Herlifeisnotasocialone，becauseshehasformedextravagantnotionsoftheimportanceoflonelyworshipanddevoutsolitude。Muchofhertimewillbespentinmeditationuponpiousbooksinhercloset。Someofitinlongsolitaryridesinhercoach，forthesakeofexercise。Littlewillremainforeatingandsleeping，sothatunlessyoucanprevailuponhertoviolateherordinaryrulesforyoursake，youwillbeleftprettymuchtoyourself。Youwillhavethemoretimetoreflectuponwhathashithertobeenthethemeofourconversations。Youcancometotownwhenyouwanttoseeme。Ishallgenerallybefoundintheseapartments。