Margaret turned to the envelope: it was marked "Too late." The letter had probably been trusted to some careless waiter, who had forgotten to post it. Oh! what slight cobwebs of chances stand between us and Temptation! Frederick had been safe, and out of England twenty, nay, thirty hours ago; and it was only about seventeen hours since she had told a falsehood to baffle pursuit, which even then would have been vain. How faithless she had been! Where now was her proud motto, "Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra?" If she had but dared to bravely tell the truth as regarded herself, defying them to find out what she refused to tell concerning another, how light of heart she would now have felt! Not humbled before God, as having failed in trust towards Him; not degraded and abased in Mr. Thornton's sight. She caught herself up at this with a miserable tremor; here was she classing his low opinion of her alongside with the displeasure of God. 
Margaret turned to the envelope; it was marked 'Too late.' The letter had probably been trusted to some careless waiter, who had forgotten to post it. Oh! what slight cobwebs of chance stand between us and Temptation! Frederick had been safely out of England twenty, nay, thirty hours ago; and it was only seventeen hours since she had told a falsehood to baffle pursuit - which would have been in vain. How faithless she had been! If she had only dared to bravely tell the truth about herself, if not him, how light of heart she would now have felt! Not humbled before God; not degraded and abased in Mr. Thornton's sight.
She caught herself up at this: here she was classing Mr. Thornton's low opinion alongside the displeasure of God. 