the impulse that had made him rash and unscrupulous without creating a scandal, to say nothing of breaking Dolly's heart, perhaps, and making no end of trouble.
Yes, whatever happened, he would be guided by what was honorable and wise. He would forget the countess, except in so far as she belonged to his picture. His memory of her should belong only to that. She should be for him an artistic dream. Greater is he who conquereth himself than he who conquereth a city. He would devote himself to Dolly.
If Philip had been called upon to criticize the conduct of someone else who had made these vows, after such a lapse of memory in regard to his fiancee, he would probably have said it was all very well to go on protesting in this way in view of a pleasant time with Dolly, the other dear charmer away; but that if he were Dolly, he would not feel safe of the permanent fidelity of such a lover.
Poor Dolly! If she could only have suspected, much less known, what had happened between Philip and the countess on that memorable journey to Dover, she, with indignation and scorn, would have relieved Philip of his vows; for, despite the worldly streak in Dolly's nature, she had a true woman's good opinion of herself. If Philip had a better opinion of the countess or of any other woman, Philip might have gone over to that other woman, and Dolly would have professed herself glad to be rid of him, however much she might have secretly suffered.
And Jenny! Why, Mrs. Milbanke would have made London ring with his unworthiness, even though she would have felt it necessary to say that Dolly broke it off, that she had been over-persuaded to accept him by her family and friends, while really not caring as much for him as a woman should for the man she is willing to marry. Jenny would have kept Dolly's position clear,
