Horrified by the revelation, Dutch considers revealing the sordid story to the press, but he realizes he still has feelings toward Fedora and decides she has been punished enough by the loss of her career and her guilt over her daughter.
Dutch is dismayed by the news and thinks about revealing the dirty story to the public, but he concludes that Fedora has already endured enough hardship due to her professional demise and emotional turmoil over her child.