第5章

Mr。Vanboroughisasingleman；Mrs。Vanboroughisasinglewoman；theirchildisillegitimate，andthepriest，AmbroseRedman，isliabletobetried，andpunished，asafelon，formarryingthem。“

“Aninfamouslaw!“saidMr。Kendrew。

“It_is_thelaw，“returnedMr。Delamayn，asasufficientanswertohim。

Thusfarnotawordhadescapedthemasterofthehouse。Hesatwithhislipsfastclosedandhiseyesrivetedonthetable，thinking。

Mr。Kendrewturnedtohim，andbrokethesilence。

“AmItounderstand，“heasked，“thattheadviceyouwantedfrommerelatedto_this？_“

“Yes。“

“Youmeantotellmethat，foreseeingthepresentinterviewandtheresulttowhichitmightlead，youfeltanydoubtastothecourseyouwereboundtotake？AmIreallytounderstandthatyouhesitatetosetthisdreadfulmistakeright，andtomakethewomanwhoisyourwifeinthesightofHeavenyourwifeinthesightofthelaw？“

“Ifyouchoosetoputitinthatlight，“saidMr。Vanborough；“ifyouwon’tconsider——“

“Iwantaplainanswertomyquestion——’yes，orno。’“

“Letmespeak，willyou!Amanhasarighttoexplainhimself，I

suppose？“

Mr。Kendrewstoppedhimbyagestureofdisgust。

“Iwon’ttroubleyoutoexplainyourself，“hesaid。“Iprefertoleavethehouse。Youhavegivenmealesson，Sir，whichIshallnotforget。Ifindthatonemanmayhaveknownanotherfromthedayswhentheywerebothboys，andmayhaveseennothingbutthefalsesurfaceofhiminallthattime。Iamashamedofhavingeverbeenyourfriend。Youareastrangertomefromthismoment。“

Withthosewordshelefttheroom。

“Thatisacuriouslyhot-headedman，“remarkedMr。Delamayn。“Ifyouwillallowme，IthinkI’llchangemymind。I’llhaveaglassofwine。“

Mr。Vanboroughrosetohisfeetwithoutreplying，andtookaturnintheroomimpatiently。Scoundrelashewas——inintention，ifnotyetinact——thelossoftheoldestfriendhehadintheworldstaggeredhimforthemoment。

“Thisisanawkwardbusiness，Delamayn，“hesaid。“Whatwouldyouadvisemetodo？“

Mr。Delamaynshookhishead，andsippedhisclaret。

“Ideclinetoadviseyou，“heanswered。“Itakenoresponsibility，beyondtheresponsibilityofstatingthelawasitstands，inyourcase。“

Mr。Vanboroughsatdownagainatthetable，toconsiderthealternativeofassertingornotassertinghisfreedomfromthemarriagetie。Hehadnothadmuchtimethusfarforturningthematteroverinhismind。ButforhisresidenceontheContinentthequestionoftheflawinhismarriagemightnodoubthavebeenraisedlongsince。Asthingswere，thequestionhadonlytakenitsriseinachanceconversationwithMr。Delamayninthesummerofthatyear。

Forsomeminutesthelawyersatsilent，sippinghiswine，andthehusbandsatsilent，thinkinghisownthoughts。Thefirstchangethatcameoverthescenewasproducedbytheappearanceofaservantinthedining-room。

Mr。Vanboroughlookedupatthemanwithasuddenoutbreakofanger。

“Whatdoyouwanthere？“

Themanwasawell-bredEnglishservant。Inotherwords，ahumanmachine，doingitsdutyimpenetrablywhenitwasoncewoundup。

Hehadhiswordstospeak，andhespokethem。

“Thereisaladyatthedoor，Sir，whowishestoseethehouse。“

“Thehouseisnottobeseenatthistimeoftheevening。“

Themachinehadamessagetodeliver，anddeliveredit。

“Theladydesiredmetopresentherapologies，Sir。Iwastotellyoushewasmuchpressedfortime。Thiswasthelasthouseonthehouseagent’slist，andhercoachmanisstupidaboutfindinghiswayinstrangeplaces。“

“Holdyourtongue，andtelltheladytogotothedevil!“

Mr。Delamayninterfered——partlyintheinterestsofhisclient，partlyintheinterestsofpropriety。

“Youattachsomeimportance，Ithink，tolettingthishouseassoonaspossible？“hesaid。

“OfcourseIdo!“

“Isitwise——onaccountofamomentaryannoyance——toloseanopportunityoflayingyourhandonatenant？“

“Wiseornot，it’saninfernalnuisancetobedisturbedbyastranger。“

“Justasyouplease。Idon’twishtointerfere。Ionlywishtosay——incaseyouarethinkingofmyconvenienceasyourguest——thatitwillbenonuisanceto_me。_“

Theservantimpenetrablywaited。Mr。Vanboroughimpatientlygaveway。

“Verywell。Letherin。Mind，ifshecomeshere，she’sonlytolookintotheroom，andgooutagain。Ifshewantstoaskquestions，shemustgototheagent。“

Mr。Delamayninterferedoncemore，intheinterests，thistime，oftheladyofthehouse。

“Mightitnotbedesirable，“hesuggested，toconsultMrs。

Vanboroughbeforeyouquitedecide？“

“Where’syourmistress？“

“Inthegarden，orthepaddock，Sir——Iamnotsurewhich。“

“Wecan’tsendalloverthegroundsinsearchofher。Tellthehouse-maid，andshowtheladyin。“

Theservantwithdrew。Mr。Delamaynhelpedhimselftoasecondglassofwine。

“Excellentclaret，“hesaid。“DoyougetitdirectfromBordeaux？“

Therewasnoanswer。Mr。Vanboroughhadreturnedtothecontemplationofthealternativebetweenfreeinghimselfornotfreeinghimselffromthemarriagetie。Oneofhiselbowswasonthetable，hebitfiercelyathisfinger-nails。Hemutteredbetweenhisteeth，“WhatamItodo？“

Asoundofrustlingsilkmadeitselfgentlyaudibleinthepassageoutside。Thedooropened，andtheladywhohadcometoseethehouseappearedinthedining-room。

IV。

Shewastallandelegant；beautifullydressed，inthehappiestcombinationofsimplicityandsplendor。Alightsummerveilhungoverherface。Sheliftedit，andmadeherapologiesfordisturbingthegentlemenovertheirwine，withtheunaffectedeaseandgraceofahighly-bredwoman。

“Prayacceptmyexcusesforthisintrusion。Iamashamedtodisturbyou。Onelookattheroomwillbequiteenough。“

ThusfarshehadaddressedMr。Delamayn，whohappenedtobenearesttoher。LookingroundtheroomhereyefellonMr。

Vanborough。Shestarted，withaloudexclamationofastonishment。

_“You!“_shesaid。“GoodHeavens!whowouldhavethoughtofmeeting_you_here？“

Mr。Vanborough，onhisside，stoodpetrified。

“LadyJane!“heexclaimed。“Isitpossible？“

Hebarelylookedatherwhileshespoke。Hiseyeswanderedguiltilytowardthewindowwhichledintothegarden。Thesituationwasaterribleone——equallyterribleifhiswifediscoveredLadyJane，orifLadyJanediscoveredhiswife。Forthemomentnobodywasvisibleonthelawn。Therewastime，ifthechanceonlyoffered——therewastimeforhimtogetthevisitoroutofthehouse。Thevisitor，innocentofallknowledgeofthetruth，gaylyofferedhimherhand。

“Ibelieveinmesmerismforthefirsttime，“shesaid。“Thisisaninstanceofmagneticsympathy，Mr。Vanborough。AninvalidfriendofminewantsafurnishedhouseatHampstead。Iundertaketofindoneforher，andtheday_I_selecttomakethediscoveryistheday_you_selectfordiningwithafriend。AlasthouseatHampsteadisleftonmylist——andinthathouseImeetyou。

Astonishing!“SheturnedtoMr。Delamayn。“IpresumeIamaddressingtheownerofthehouse？“Beforeawordcouldbesaidbyeitherofthegentlemenshenoticedthegarden。“Whatprettygrounds!DoIseealadyinthegarden？IhopeIhavenotdrivenheraway。“Shelookedround，andappealedtoMr。Vanborough。

“Yourfriend’swife？“sheasked，and，onthisoccasion，waitedforareply。

InMr。Vanborough’ssituationwhatreplywaspossible？