Sentence:  Failure, disgrace, poverty, sorrow, despair, suffering, tears even, the broken words that come from lips in pain, <WSD>remorse</WSD> that makes one walk on thorns, conscience that condemns . . . —all these were things of which I was afraid. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A feeling of regret or sadness for doing wrong or sinning.