Ihavebeensadlydistrustfulofmyself，inthisdifficultand*Thepassagesomitted，hereandelsewhere，inMissHalcombe’sDiaryareonlythosewhichbearnoreferencetoMissFairlieortoanyofthepersonswithwhomsheisassociatedinthesepages。lamentablematter，eversinceIfoundoutmyownignoranceofthestrengthofLaura’sunhappyattachment。IoughttohaveknownthatthedelicacyandforbearanceandsenseofhonourwhichdrewmetopoorHartright，andmademesosincerelyadmireandrespecthim，werejustthequalitiestoappealmostirresistiblytoLaura’snaturalsensitivenessandnaturalgenerosityofnature。Andyet，untilsheopenedherhearttomeofherownaccord，Ihadnosuspicionthatthisnewfeelinghadtakenrootsodeeply。Ioncethoughttimeandcaremightremoveit。Inowfearthatitwillremainwithherandalterherforlife。ThediscoverythatIhavecommittedsuchanerrorinjudgmentasthismakesmehesitateabouteverythingelse。IhesitateaboutSirPercival，inthefaceoftheplainestproofs。IhesitateeveninspeakingtoLaura。
OnthisverymorningIdoubted，withmyhandonthedoor，whetherIshouldaskherthequestionsIhadcometoput，ornot。
WhenIwentintoherroomIfoundherwalkingupanddowningreatimpatience。
Shelookedflushedandexcited，andshecameforwardatonce，andspoketomebeforeIcouldopenmylips。
`Iwantedyou，’shesaid。`Comeandsitdownonthesofawithme。Marian！