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〃She is Anne Silvesteras I was。 _Will she end like Me？_〃
VI。
Five years passedand the lives of the three men who had sat at
the dinner…table in the Hampstead villa began； in their altered
aspects； to reveal the progress of time and change。
Mr。 Kendrew； Mr。 Delamayn； Mr。 Vanborough。 Let the order in which
they are here named be the order in which their lives are
reviewed； as seen once more after a lapse of five years。
How the husband's friend marked his sense of the husband's
treachery has been told already。 How he felt the death of the
deserted wife is still left to tell。 Report； which sees the
inmost hearts of men； and delights in turning them outward to the
public view； had always declared that Mr。 Kendrew's life had its
secret； and that the secret was a hopeless passion for the
beautiful woman who had married his friend。 Not a hint ever
dropped to any living soul； not a word ever spoken to the woman
herself； could be produced in proof of the assertion while the
woman lived。 When she died Report started up again more
confidently than ever； and appealed to the man's own conduct as
proof against the man himself。
He attended the funeralthough he was no relation。 He took a few
blades of grass from the turf with which they covered her
gravewhen he thought that nobody was looking at him。 He
disappeared from his club。 He traveled。 He came back。 He admitted
that he was weary of England。 He applied for； and obtained； an
appointment in one of the colonies。 To what conclusion did all
this point？ Was it not plain that his usual course of life had
lost its attraction for him； when the object of his infatuation
had ceased to exist？ It might have been soguesses less likely
have been made at the truth； and have hit the mark。 It is； at any
rate； certain that he left England； never to return again。
Another man lost； Report said。 Add to that； a man in ten
thousandand； for once； Report might claim to be right。
Mr。 Delamayn comes next。
The rising solicitor was struck off the roll； at his own
requestand entered himself as a student at one of the Inns of
Court。 For three years nothing was known of him but that he was
reading hard and keeping his terms。 He was called to the Bar。 His
late partners in the firm knew they could trust him； and put
business into his hands。 In two years he made himself a position
in Court。 At the end of the two years he made himself a position
out of Court。 He appeared as 〃Junior〃 in 〃a famous case；〃 in
which the honor of a great family； and the title to a great
estate were concerned。 His 〃Senior〃 fell ill on the eve of the
trial。 He conducted the case for the defendant and won it。 The
defendant said； 〃What can I do for you？〃 Mr。 Delamayn answered；
〃Put me into Parliament。〃 Being a landed gentleman； the defendant
had only to issue the necessary ordersand behold； Mr。 Delamayn
was in Parliament！
In the House of Commons the new member and Mr。 Vanborough met
again。
They sat on the same bench； and sided with the same party。 Mr。
Delamayn noticed that Mr。 Vanborough was looking old and worn and
gray。 He put a few questions to a well…informed person。 The
well…informed person shook his head。 Mr。 Vanborough was rich； Mr。
Vanborough was well…connected （through his wife）； Mr。 Van borough
was a sound man in every sense of the word； _but_nobody liked
him。 He had done very well the first year； and there it had
ended。 He was undeniably clever； but he produced a disagreeable
impression in the House。 He gave splendid entertainments； but he
wasn't popular in society。 His party respected him； but when they
had any thing to give they passed him over。 He had a temper of
his own； if the truth must be told； and with nothing against
himon the contrary； with every thing in his favorhe didn't
make friends。 A soured man。 At home and abroad； a soured man。
VII。
Five years more passed； dating from the day when the deserted
wife was laid in her grave。 It was now the year eighteen hundred
and sixty six。
On a certain day in that year two special items of news appeared
in the papersthe news of an elevation to the peerage； and the
news of a suicide。
Getting on well at the Bar； Mr。 Delamayn got on better still in
Parliament。 He became one of the prominent men in the House。
Spoke clearly； sensibly； and modestly； and was never too long。
Held the House； where men of higher abilities 〃bored〃 it。 The
chiefs of his party said openly； 〃We must do something for
Delamayn；〃 The opportunity offered； and the chiefs kept their
word。 Their Solicitor…General was advanced a step； and they put
Delamayn in his place。 There was an outcry on the part of the
older members of the Bar。 The Ministry answered； 〃We want a man
who is listened to in the House； and we have got him。〃 The papers
supported the new nomination。 A great debate came off； and the
new Solicitor…General justified the Ministry and the papers。 His
enemies said； derisively； 〃He will be Lord Chancellor in a year
or two！〃 His friends made genial jokes in his domestic circle；
which pointed to the same conclusion。 They warned his two sons；
Julius and Geoffrey （then at college）； to be careful what
acquaintances they made； as they might find themselves the sons
of a lord at a moment's notice。 It really began to look like
something of the sort。 Always rising； Mr。 Delamayn rose next to
be Attorney…General。 About the same timeso true it is that
〃nothing succeeds like success〃a childless relative died and
left him a fortune。 In the summer of 'sixty…six a Chief Judgeship
fell vacant。 The Ministry had made a previous appointment which
had been universally unpopular。 They saw their way to supplying
the place of their Attorney…General； and they offered the
judicial appointment to Mr。 Delamayn。 He preferred remaining in
the House of Commons； and refused to accept it。 The Ministry
declined to take No for an answer。 They whispered confidentially；
〃 Will you take it with a peerage？〃 Mr。 Delamayn consulted his
wife； and took it with a peerage。 The London _ Gazette_ announced
him to the world as Baron Holchester of Holchester。 And the
friends of the family rubbed their hands and said； 〃What did we
tell you？ Here are our two young friends； Julius and Geoffrey；
the sons of a lord！〃
And where was Mr。 Vanborough all this time？ Exactly where we left
him five years since。
He was as rich； or richer； than ever。 He was as well…connected as
ever。 He was as ambitious as ever。 Bu