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？