The duteous merciful constancy of his wife had delivered him from one dread, but it could not hinder her presence from being still a tribunal before which he shrank from confession and desired advocacy.

他妻子尽职尽责的仁慈坚定使他摆脱了一种恐惧，但这并不能阻止她的存在仍然是一个法庭，他在法庭面前不敢认罪，并希望得到辩护。