How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #13
It was her duty to rescue the baby, to save it from contagion, and she still meant to do her duty. But the comfortable sense of virtue left her. She was in the presence of something greater than right or wrong. (7.93)
This is the first time that Miss Abbott is finally forced to face the cold, hard possibility that her "duty" might not be in line with morality. Notice the narrator's word choice in the phrase "comfortable sense of virtue." Not only is Caroline realizing that her actions might not be at all virtuous, but the word "comfortable" raises the issue that Caroline was just trying to make herself feel better and didn't really have the baby's best interests at heart.