# For Conscience’ Sake explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

Mr. Millborne, a man burdened by a past wrong, seeks to make amends for his earlier abandonment of a woman and their child. He returns to find them and proposes a marriage of convenience to restore the woman's reputation and provide for their daughter, leading to a complex and emotionally fraught reunion.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sacrifice and Duty

Mr. Millborne's decision to marry Selina is driven by a sense of duty and a desire to sacrifice his own comfort to right a past wrong.

### Deception and Secrecy

The chapter explores the long-held secret of Mr. Millborne's past abandonment and the deception involved in his proposal of a marriage of convenience.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Millborne

Protagonist driven by guilt and a desire to atone for his past abandonment of a woman and their child.

### Selina

The woman Mr. Millborne abandoned years ago, now living with their daughter and struggling with the return of her former lover.

### Anna

The daughter of Mr. Millborne and Selina, caught in the middle of her parents' complicated reunion.

## Key lines

> He had left her, a young and innocent girl, to bear the burden of their mutual folly alone.

He abandoned her when she was young and naive, forcing her to face the consequences of their shared mistake by herself.

_Highlights Mr. Millborne's guilt and the unfair burden placed on Selina._

> It was a strange proposal, a matter of business rather than love.

His offer of marriage was unusual, based on practicality and obligation rather than romantic affection.

_Emphasizes the transactional nature of the proposed marriage._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_53_se/chapters/for-conscience-sake
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_53_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_53_se/chapters