Moreover, the change
affected Michael, who manifested increase of mental trouble at the
same time that he yielded more and more to physical infirmity.
The letter which Sidney wrote after receiving Joseph Snowdon's
confidential communications was despatched two days later. He
expressed himself in carefully chosen words, but the purport of the
letter was to make known that he no longer thought of Jane save as a
friend; that the change in her position had compelled him to take
another view of his relations to her than that he had confided to
Michael at Danbury. Most fortunately--he added--no utterance of
his feelings had ever escaped him to Jane herself, and henceforth he
should be still more careful to avoid any suggestion of more than
brotherly interest. In very deed nothing was altered; he was still
her steadfast friend, and would always aid her to his utmost in the
work of her life.
That Sidney could send this letter, after keeping it in reserve for
a couple of days, proved how profoundly his instincts were revolted
by the difficulties and the ambiguity of his position. It had been
bad enough when only his own conscience was in play; the dialogue
with Joseph, following upon Bessie Byass's indiscretion, threw him
wholly off his balance, and he could give no weight to any
consideration but the necessity of recovering self-respect.
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