Sentence:  To heighten his <WSD>distress</WSD>, he is approached by his wife, and bitterly upbraided for his perfidy in concealing from her his former connexions (with that unhappy girl who is here present with her child, the innocent offspring of her amours, fainting at the sight of his misfortunes, being unable to relieve him farther), and plunging her into those difficulties she never shall be able to surmount. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  (Cause of) discomfort.