“Thepersonsherepresent，Mr。Moy，arenowabouttoseethemoralmeritoftheScotchlawofmarriageasapprovedbyEnglandpracticallyinoperationbeforetheirowneyes。TheywilljudgeforthemselvesofthemoralityScotchorEnglish
　　whichfirstforcesadesertedwomanbackonthevillainwhohasbetrayedher，andthenvirtuouslyleaveshertobeartheconsequences。“
　　Withthatanswer，heturnedtoAnne，andshowedhertheletter，openinhishand。
　　“Forthelasttime，“hesaid，“doyouinsistonmyappealingtothis？“
　　Sherose，andbowedherheadgravely。
　　“Itismydistressingduty，“saidSirPatrick，“todeclare，inthislady’sname，andonthefaithofwrittenpromisesofmarriageexchangedbetweentheparties，thenresidinginScotland，thatsheclaimstobenow——andtohavebeenontheafternoonofthefourteenthofAugustlast——Mr。GeoffreyDelamayn’sweddedwife。“
　　AcryofhorrorfromBlanche，alowmurmurofdismayfromtherest，followedtheutteranceofthosewords。
　　Therewasapauseofaninstant。
　　ThenGeoffreyroseslowlytohisfeet，andfixedhiseyesonthewifewhohadclaimedhim。
　　Thespectatorsoftheterriblesceneturnedwithoneaccordtowardthesacrificedwoman。ThelookwhichGeoffreyhadcastonher——thewordswhichGeoffreyhadspokentoher——werepresenttoalltheirminds。Shestood，waitingbySirPatrick’sside——hersoftgrayeyesrestingsadlyandtenderlyonBlanche’sface。Toseethatmatchlesscourageandresignationwastodoubttherealityofwhathadhappened。Theywereforcedtolookbackatthemantopossesstheirmindswiththetruth。
　　Thetriumphoflawandmoralityoverhimwascomplete。Heneverutteredaword。Hisfurioustemperwasperfectlyandfearfullycalm。WiththepromiseofmercilessvengeancewrittenintheDevilswritingonhisDevil-possessedface，hekepthiseyesfixedonthehatedwomanwhomhehadruined——onthehatedwomanwhowasfastenedtohimashiswife。
　　HislawyerwentovertothetableatwhichSirPatricksat。SirPatrickhandedhimthesheetofnote-paper。
　　Hereadthetwoletterscontainedinitwithabsorbedanddeliberateattention。Themomentsthatpassedbeforeheliftedhisheadfromhisreadingseemedlikehours。“Canyouprovethehandwritings？“heasked。“Andprovetheresidence？“
　　SirPatricktookupasecondmorselofpaperlyingreadyunderhishand。
　　“Therearethenamesofpersonswhocanprovethewriting，andprovetheresidence，“hereplied。“OneofyourtwowitnessesbelowstairsotherwiseuselesscanspeaktothehouratwhichMr。Brinkwortharrivedattheinn，andsocanprovethattheladyforwhomheaskedwas，atthatmoment，Mrs。GeoffreyDelamayn。
　　Theindorsementonthebackofthenote-paper，alsoreferringtothequestionoftime，isinthehandwritingofthesamewitness——towhomIreferyou，whenitsuitsyourconveniencetoquestionhim。“
　　“Iwillverifythereferences，SirPatrick，asmatterofform。Inthemeantime，nottointerposeneedlessandvexatiousdelay，I
　　amboundtosaythatIcannotresisttheevidenceofthemarriage。“
　　Havingrepliedinthosetermsheaddressedhimself，withmarkedrespectandsympathy，toAnne。
　　“OnthefaithofthewrittenpromiseofmarriageexchangedbetweenyouinScotland，“hesaid，“youclaimMr。GeoffreyDelamaynasyourhusband？“
　　Shesteadilyrepentedthewordsafterhim。
　　“IclaimMr。GeoffreyDelamaynasmyhusband。“
　　Mr。Moyappealedtohisclient。Geoffreybrokesilenceatlast。
　　“Isitsettled？“heasked。
　　“Toallpracticalpurposes，itissettled。“
　　Hewenton，stilllookingatnobodybutAnne。
　　“HasthelawofScotlandmadehermywife？“
　　“ThelawofScotlandhasmadeheryourwife。“
　　Heaskedathirdandlastquestion。
　　“Doesthelawtellhertogowhereherhusbandgoes？“
　　“Yes。“
　　Helaughedsoftlytohimself，andbeckonedtohertocrosstheroomtotheplaceatwhichhewasstanding。
　　Sheobeyed。Atthemomentwhenshetookthefirststeptoapproachhim，SirPatrickcaughtherhand，andwhisperedtoher，“Relyonme!“Shegentlypressedhishandintokenthatsheunderstoodhim，andadvancedtoGeoffrey。Atthesamemoment，Blancherushedbetweenthem，andflungherarmsaroundAnne’sneck。
　　“Oh，Anne!Anne!“
　　Anhystericalpassionoftearschokedherutterance。Annegentlyunwoundthearmsthatclungroundher——gentlyliftedtheheadthatlayhelplessonherbosom。
　　“Happierdaysarecoming，mylove，“shesaid。“Don’tthinkof_me。_“
　　Shekissedher——lookedather——kissedheragain——andplacedherinherhusband’sarms。ArnoldrememberedherpartingwordsatCraigFernie，whentheyhadwishedeachothergood-night。“Youhavenotbefriendedanungratefulwoman。ThedaymayyetcomewhenIshallproveit。“Gratitudeandadmirationstruggledinhimwhichshouldutteritselffirst，andheldhimspeechless。
　　Shebentherheadgentlyintokenthatsheunderstoodhim。Thenshewenton，andstoodbeforeGeoffrey。
　　“Iamhere，“shesaidtohim。“Whatdoyouwishmetodo？“
　　Ahideoussmilepartedhisheavylips。Heofferedherhisarm。
　　“Mrs。GeoffreyDelamayn，“hesaid。“Comehome。“
　　Thepictureofthelonelyhouse，isolatedamidstitshighwalls；
　　theill-omenedfigureofthedumbwomanwiththestonyeyesandthesavageways——thewholescene，asAnnehadpicturedittohimbuttwodayssince，rosevividasrealitybeforeSirPatrick’smind。“No!“hecriedout，carriedawaybythegenerousimpulseofthemoment。“Itshall_not_be!“
　　Geoffreystoodimpenetrable——waitingwithhisofferedarm。Paleandresolute，sheliftedhernoblehead——calledbackthecouragewhichhadfalteredforamoment——andtookhisarm。Heledhertothedoor。“Don’tletBlanchefretaboutme，“shesaid，simply，toArnoldastheywentby。TheypassedSirPatricknext。Oncemorehissympathyforherseteveryotherconsiderationatdefiance。
　　HestarteduptobarthewaytoGeoffrey。Geoffreypaused，andlookedatSirPatrickforthefirsttime。
　　“Thelawtellshertogowithherhusband，“hesaid。“ThelawforbidsyoutopartManandWife。“
　　True。Absolutely，undeniablytrue。Thelawsanctionedthesacrificeofherasunanswerablyasithadsanctionedthesacrificeofhermotherbeforeher。InthenameofMorality，lethimtakeher!IntheinterestsofVirtue，lethergetoutofitifshecan!
　　Herhusbandopenedthedoor。Mr。MoylaidhishandonSirPatrick’sarm。LadyLundie，CaptainNewenden，theLondonlawyer，alllefttheirplaces，influenced，foronce，bythesameinterest；feeling，foronce，thesamesuspense。Arnoldfollowedthem，supportinghiswife。ForonememorableinstantAnnelookedbackatthemall。Thensheandherhusbandcrossedthethreshold。
　　Theydescendedthestairstogether。Theopeningandclosingofthehousedoorwasheard。Theyweregone。
　　Done，inthenameofMorality。Done，intheinterestsofVirtue。
　　Done，inanageofprogress，andunderthemostperfectgovernmentonthefaceoftheearth。
　　FIFTEENTHSCENE——HOLCHESTERHOUSE。
　　CHAPTERTHEFORTY-SEVENTH。
　　THELASTCHANCE。
　　“HISlordshipisdangerouslyill，Sir。Herladyshipcanreceivenovisitors。“
　　“BesogoodastotakethatcardtoLadyHolchester。Itisabsolutelynecessarythatyourmistressshouldbemadeacquainted——intheinterestsofheryoungerson——withsomethingwhichIcanonlymentiontoherladyshipherself。“
　　ThetwopersonsspeakingwereLordHolchester’sheadservantandSirPatrickLundie。AtthattimebarelyhalfanhourhadpassedsincethecloseoftheproceedingsatPortlandPlace。
　　Theservantstillhesitatedwiththecardinhishand。“Ishallforfeitmysituation，“hesaid，“ifIdoit。“
　　“Youwillmostassuredlyforfeityoursituationifyou_don’t_doit，“returnedSirPatrick。“Iwarnyouplainly，thisistooseriousamattertobetrifledwith。“
　　Thetoneinwhichthosewordswerespokenhaditseffect。Themanwentupstairswithhismessage。