Mistclungthereamongthebluishtreeshapes，beyondrangeofthelamps。Howmanyhundredtimeshehadwalkedpastthosetreesfromhisfather’shouseinParkLane，whenhewasquiteayoungman；orfromhisownhouseinMontpellierSquareinthosefouryearsofmarriedlife！And，to-night，makinguphismindtofreehimselfifhecouldofthatlonguselessmarriagetie，hetookafancytowalkon，inatHydeParkCorner，outatKnightsbridgeGate，justasheusedtowhengoinghometoIreneintheolddays。Whatcouldshebelikenow?——howhadshepassedtheyearssincehelastsawher，twelveyearsinall，sevenalreadysinceUncleJolyonleftherthatmoney?Wasshestillbeautiful?Wouldheknowherifhesawher?
　　’I’venotchangedmuch，’hethought；’Iexpectshehas。Shemademesuffer。’Herememberedsuddenlyonenight，thefirstonwhichhewentouttodinneralone——anoldMalburiandinner——thefirstyearoftheirmarriage。Withwhateagernesshehadhurriedback；
　　and，enteringsoftlyasacat，hadheardherplaying。Openingthedrawingroomdoornoiselessly，hehadstoodwatchingtheexpressiononherface，differentfromanyheknew，somuchmoreopen，soconfiding，asthoughtohermusicshewasgivingahearthehadneverseen。Andherememberedhowshestoppedandlookedround，howherfacechangedbacktothatwhichhedidknow，andwhatanicyshiverhadgonethroughhim，forallthatthenextmomenthewasfondlinghershoulders。Yes，shehadmadehimsuffer！
　　Divorce！Itseemedridiculous，afteralltheseyearsofutterseparation！Butitwouldhavetobe。Nootherway！’Thequestion，’hethoughtwithsuddenrealism，’is——whichofus?Sheorme?Shedesertedme。Sheoughttopayforit。There’llbesomeone，Isuppose。’Involuntarilyheutteredalittlesnarlingsound，and，turning，madehiswaybacktoParkLane。
　　CHAPTERV
　　JAMESSEESVISIONS
　　Thebutlerhimselfopenedthedoor，andclosingitsoftly，detainedSoamesontheinnermat。”Themaster’spoorly，sir，”hemurmured。”Hewouldn’tgotobedtillyoucamein。He’sstillinthediningroom。
　　Soamesrespondedinthehushedtonetowhichthehousewasnowaccustomed。”What’sthematterwithhim，Warmson?””Nervous，sir，Ithink。Mightbethefuneral；mightbeMrs。
　　Dartie’scomin’roundthisafternoon。Ithinkheoverheardsomething。I’vetookhiminanegus。Themistresshasjustgoneup。”
　　Soameshunghishatonamahoganystag’s-horn。”Allright，Warmson，youcangotobed；I’lltakehimupmyself。”
　　Andhepassedintothedining-room。
　　Jameswassittingbeforethefire，inabigarmchair，withacamel-hairshawl，verylightandwarm，overhisfrock-coatedshoulders，ontowhichhislongwhitewhiskersdrooped。Hiswhitehair，stillfairlythick，glistenedinthelamplight；alittlemoisturefromhisfixed，light-greyeyesstainedthecheeks，stillquitewellcoloured，andthelongdeepfurrowsrunningtothecornersoftheclean-shavenlips，whichmovedasifmumblingthoughts。Hislonglegs，thinasacrow’s，inshepherd’splaidtrousers，werebentatlessthanarightangle，andononekneeaspindlyhandmovedcontinually，withfingerswideapartandglisteningtaperednails。Besidehim，onalowstool，stoodahalf-finishedglassofnegus，bedewedwithbeadsofheat。Therehehadbeensitting，withintervalsformeals，allday。Ateighty-
　　eighthewasstillorganicallysound，butsufferingterriblyfromthethoughtthatnooneevertoldhimanything。Itis，indeed，doubtfulhowhehadbecomeawarethatRogerwasbeingburiedthatday，forEmilyhadkeptitfromhim。Shewasalwayskeepingthingsfromhim。Emilywasonlyseventy！Jameshadagrudgeagainsthiswife’syouth。Hefeltsometimesthathewouldneverhavemarriedherifhehadknownthatshewouldhavesomanyyearsbeforeher，whenhehadsofew。Itwasnotnatural。Shewouldlivefifteenortwentyyearsafterhewasgone，andmightspendalotofmoney；shehadalwayshadextravaganttastes。Forallheknewshemightwanttobuyoneofthesemotor-cars。CicelyandRachelandImogenandalltheyoungpeople——theyallrodethosebicyclesnowandwentoffGoodnessknewwhere。AndnowRogerwasgone。Hedidn’tknow——
　　couldn’ttell！Thefamilywasbreakingup。Soameswouldknowhowmuchhisunclehadleft。CuriouslyhethoughtofRogerasSoames’
　　unclenotashisownbrother。Soames！Itwasmoreandmoretheonesolidspotinavanishingworld。Soameswascareful；hewasawarmman；buthehadnoonetoleavehismoneyto。Thereitwas！
　　Hedidn’tknow！AndtherewasthatfellowChamberlain！ForJames’
　　politicalprincipleshadbeenfixedbetween’70and’85when’thatrascallyRadical’hadbeenthechiefthorninthesideofpropertyandhedistrustedhimtothisdayinspiteofhisconversion；hewouldgetthecountryintoamessandmakemoneygodownbeforehehaddonewithit。Astormypetrelofachap！WherewasSoames?
　　Hehadgonetothefuneralofcoursewhichtheyhadtriedtokeepfromhim。Heknewthatperfectlywell；hehadseenhisson’strousers。Roger！Rogerinhiscoffin！Herememberedhow，whentheycameupfromschooltogetherfromtheWest，ontheboxseatoftheoldSlowflyerin1824，Rogerhadgotintothe’boot’andgonetosleep。Jamesutteredathincackle。Afunnyfellow——Roger——anoriginal！Hedidn’tknow！Youngerthanhimself，andinhiscoffin！Thefamilywasbreakingup。TherewasValgoingtotheuniversity；henevercametoseehimnow。Hewouldcostaprettypennyupthere。Itwasanextravagantage。AndalltheprettypenniesthathisfourgrandchildrenwouldcosthimdancedbeforeJames’eyes。Hedidnotgrudgethemthemoney，buthegrudgedterriblytheriskwhichthespendingofthatmoneymightbringonthem；hegrudgedthediminutionofsecurity。AndnowthatCicelyhadmarried，shemightbehavingchildrentoo。Hedidn’tknow——
　　couldn’ttell！Nobodythoughtofanythingbutspendingmoneyinthesedays，andracingabout，andhavingwhattheycalled’agoodtime。’Amotor-carwentpastthewindow。Uglygreatlumberingthing，makingallthatracket！Butthereitwas，thecountryrattlingtothedogs！Peopleinsuchahurrythattheycouldn’tevencareforstyle——aneatturnoutlikehisbaroucheandbayswasworthallthosenew-fangledthings。Andconsolsat116！Theremustbealotofmoneyinthecountry。AndnowtherewasthisoldKruger！TheyhadtriedtokeepoldKrugerfromhim。Butheknewbetter；therewouldbeaprettykettleoffishoutthere！HehadknownhowitwouldbewhenthatfellowGladstone——deadnow，thankGod！madesuchamessofitafterthatdreadfulbusinessatMajuba。
　　Heshouldn’twonderiftheEmpiresplitupandwenttopot。AndthisvisionoftheEmpiregoingtopotfilledafullquarterofanhourwithqualmsofthemostseriouscharacter。Hehadeatenapoorlunchbecauseofthem。Butitwasafterlunchthattherealdisastertohisnervesoccurred。Hehadbeendozingwhenhebecameawareofvoices——lowvoices。Ah！theynevertoldhimanything！
　　Winifred’sandhermother’s。”Monty！”ThatfellowDartie——alwaysthatfellowDartie！Thevoiceshadreceded；andJameshadbeenleftalone，withhisearsstandinguplikeahare’s，andfearcreepingabouthisinwards。Whydidtheyleavehimalone?Whydidn’ttheycomeandtellhim?Andanawfulthought，whichthroughlongyearshadhauntedhim，concretedagainswiftlyinhisbrain。
　　Dartiehadgonebankrupt——fraudulentlybankrupt，andtosaveWinifredandthechildren，he——Jameswouldhavetopay！Couldhe——
　　couldSoamesturnhimintoalimitedcompany?No，hecouldn’t！
　　Thereitwas！WitheveryminutebeforeEmilycamebackthespectrefiercened。Why，itmightbeforgery！WitheyesfixedonthedoubtedTurnerinthecentreofthewall，Jamessufferedtortures。
　　HesawDartieinthedock，hisgrandchildreninthegutter，andhimselfinbed。HesawthedoubtedTurnerbeingsoldatJobson’s，andallthemajesticedificeofpropertyinrags。HesawinfancyWinifredunfashionablydressed，andheardinfancyEmily’svoicesaying：”Now，don’tfuss，James！”Shewasalwayssaying：”Don’tfuss！”Shehadnonerves；heoughtnevertohavemarriedawomaneighteenyearsyoungerthanhimself。ThenEmily’srealvoicesaid：”Haveyouhadanicenap，James?”
　　Nap！Hewasintorment，andsheaskedhimthat！”What’sthisaboutDartie?”hesaid，andhiseyesglaredather。
　　Emily’sself-possessionneverdesertedher。”Whathaveyoubeenhearing?”sheaskedblandly。”What’sthisaboutDartie?”repeatedJames。”He’sgonebankrupt。””Fiddle！”