The motive professed was his conviction of its being owing to himself that Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for any young woman of character to love or confide in him. He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride, and confessed that he had before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the world.
Le motif qu’il en a donné c’est qu’il était convaincu que c’était sa faute si l’indignité de Wickham n’avait pas été suffisamment publiée pour empecher toute jeune fille de bonne famille de lui donner son amour et sa confiance.