Thomas Hardy

“ It is enough, that I alone, of all people living, know _all the sides of the story_, those from whom I collected it having each only a partial knowledge which confuses them and points to nothing. One person knows of your early engagement and its sudden termination; another, of the reason of those strange meetings at inns and coffee-houses; another, of what was sufficient to cause all this, and so on. I know what fits one and all the circumstances like a key, and shows them to be the natural outcrop of a rational (though rather rash) line of conduct for a young lady. ”

“ You will at once perceive how it was that some at least of these things were revealed to me.
'This knowledge then, common to, and secretly treasured by us both, is the ground upon which I beg for your friendship and help, with a feeling that you will be too generous to refuse it to me.
'I may add that, as yet, my husband knows nothing of this, neither need he if you remember my request.'
'A threat--a flat stinging threat! as delicately wrapped up in words as the woman could do it; a threat from a miserable unknown creature to an Aldclyffe, and not the least proud member of the family either! ”

“ A woman who is driven to visit her husband like a thief in the night and then sent away like a street dog--left to get up, unbolt, unbar, and find her way out of the house as she best may--is justified in doing anything. ”