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？