Mrs。Vanboroughwasnotonlyvisible——butaudible——inthegarden；
　　givingherorderstooneoftheout-of-doorservantswiththetoneandmannerwhichproclaimedthemistressofthehouse。
　　Supposehesaid，“Sheis_not_myfriend’swife？“Femalecuriositywouldinevitablyputthenextquestion，“Whoisshe？“
　　Supposeheinventedanexplanation？Theexplanationwouldtaketime，andtimewouldgivehiswifeanopportunityofdiscoveringLadyJane。Seeingalltheseconsiderationsinonebreathlessmoment，Mr。Vanboroughtooktheshortestandtheboldestwayoutofthedifficulty。Heansweredsilentlybyanaffirmativeinclinationofthehead，whichdextrouslyturnedMrs。VanboroughintotoMrs。DelamaynwithoutallowingMr。Delamayntheopportunityofhearingit。
　　Butthelawyer’seyewashabituallywatchful，andthelawyersawhim。
　　Masteringinamomenthisfirstnaturalastonishmentatthelibertytakenwithhim，Mr。Delamayndrewtheinevitableconclusionthattherewassomethingwrong，andthattherewasanattemptnottobepermittedforamomenttomixhimupinit。
　　Headvanced，resolutetocontradicthisclient，tohisclient’sownface。
　　ThevolubleLadyJaneinterruptedhimbeforehecouldopenhislips。
　　“MightIaskonequestion？Istheaspectsouth？Ofcourseitis!
　　Ioughttoseebythesunthattheaspectissouth。Theseandtheothertwoare，Isuppose，theonlyroomsontheground-floor？Andisitquiet？Ofcourseit’squiet!Acharminghouse。FarmorelikelytosuitmyfriendthananyIhaveseenyet。Willyougivemetherefusalofittillto-morrow？“Thereshestoppedforbreath，andgaveMr。Delamaynhisfirstopportunityofspeakingtoher。
　　“Ibegyourladyship’spardon，“hebegan。“Ireallycan’t——“
　　Mr。Vanborough——passingclosebehindhimandwhisperingashepassed——stoppedthelawyerbeforehecouldsayawordmore。
　　“ForGod’ssake，don’tcontradictme!Mywifeiscomingthisway!“
　　AtthesamemomentstillsupposingthatMr。DelamaynwasthemasterofthehouseLadyJanereturnedtothecharge。
　　“Youappeartofeelsomehesitation，“shesaid。“Doyouwantareference？“Shesmiledsatirically，andsummonedherfriendtoheraid。“Mr。Vanborough!“
　　Mr。Vanborough，stealingstepbystepnearertothewindow——intent，comewhatmightofit，onkeepinghiswifeoutoftheroom——neitherheedednorheardher。LadyJanefollowedhim，andtappedhimbrisklyontheshoulderwithherparasol。
　　AtthatmomentMrs。Vanboroughappearedonthegardensideofthewindow。
　　“AmIintheway？“sheasked，addressingherhusband，afteronesteadylookatLadyJane。“Thisladyappearstobeanoldfriendofyours。“Therewasatoneofsarcasminthatallusiontotheparasol，whichmightdevelopintoatoneofjealousyatamoment’snotice。
　　LadyJanewasnotintheleastdisconcerted。Shehadherdoubleprivilegeoffamiliaritywiththemenwhomsheliked——herprivilegeasawomanofhighrank，andherprivilegeasayoungwidow。ShebowedtoMrs。Vanborough，withallthehighly-finishedpolitenessoftheordertowhichshebelonged。
　　“Theladyofthehouse，Ipresume？“shesaid，withagracioussmile。
　　Mrs。Vanboroughreturnedthebowcoldly——enteredtheroomfirst——andthenanswered，“Yes。“
　　LadyJaneturnedtoMr。Vanborough。
　　“Presentme!“shesaid，submittingresignedlytotheformalitiesofthemiddleclasses。
　　Mr。Vanboroughobeyed，withoutlookingathiswife，andwithoutmentioninghiswife’sname。
　　“LadyJaneParnell，“hesaid，passingovertheintroductionasrapidlyaspossible。“Letmeseeyoutoyourcarriage，“headded，offeringhisarm。“Iwilltakecarethatyouhavetherefusalofthehouse。Youmaytrustitalltome。“
　　No!LadyJanewasaccustomedtoleaveafavorableimpressionbehindherwherevershewent。Itwasahabitwithhertobecharminginwidelydifferentwaystobothsexes。Thesocialexperienceoftheupperclassesis，inEngland，anexperienceofuniversalwelcome。LadyJanedeclinedtoleaveuntilshehadthawedtheicyreceptionoftheladyofthehouse。
　　“Imustrepeatmyapologies，“shesaidtoMrs。Vanborough，“forcomingatthisinconvenienttime。Myintrusionappearstohavesadlydisturbedthetwogentlemen。Mr。Vanboroughlooksasifhewishedmeahundredmilesaway。Andasforyourhusband——“ShestoppedandglancedtowardMr。Delamayn。“Pardonmeforspeakinginthatfamiliarway。Ihavenotthepleasureofknowingyourhusband’sname。“
　　InspeechlessamazementMrs。Vanborough’seyesfollowedthedirectionofLadyJane’seyes——andrestedonthelawyer，personallyatotalstrangertoher。
　　Mr。Delamayn，resolutelywaitinghisopportunitytospeak，seizeditoncemore——andhelditthistime。
　　“Ibegyourpardon，“hesaid。“Thereissomemisapprehensionhere，forwhichIaminnowayresponsible。Iam_not_thatlady’shusband。“
　　ItwasLadyJane’sturntobeastonished。Shelookedatthelawyer。Useless!Mr。Delamaynhadsethimselfright——Mr。Delamayndeclinedtointerferefurther。Hesilentlytookachairattheotherendoftheroom。LadyJaneaddressedMr。Vanborough。
　　“Whateverthemistakemaybe，“shesaid，“youareresponsibleforit。Youcertainlytoldmethisladywasyourfriend’swife。“
　　“What!!!“criedMrs。Vanborough——loudly，sternly，incredulously。
　　Theinbredprideofthegreatladybegantoappearbehindthethinouterveilofpolitenessthatcoveredit。
　　“Iwillspeaklouderifyouwishit，“shesaid。“Mr。Vanboroughtoldmeyouwerethatgentleman’swife。“
　　Mr。Vanboroughwhisperedfiercelytohiswifethroughhisclenchedteeth。
　　“Thewholethingisamistake。Gointothegardenagain!“
　　Mrs。Vanborough’sindignationwassuspendedforthemomentindread，asshesawthepassionandtheterrorstrugglinginherhusband’sface。
　　“Howyoulookatme!“shesaid。“Howyouspeaktome!“
　　Heonlyrepeated，“Gointothegarden!“
　　LadyJanebegantoperceive，whatthelawyerhaddiscoveredsomeminutespreviously——thattherewassomethingwronginthevillaatHampstead。Theladyofthehousewasaladyinananomalouspositionofsomekind。Andasthehouse，toallappearance，belongedtoMr。Vanborough’sfriend，Mr。Vanborough’sfriendmustinspiteofhisrecentdisclaimerbeinsomewayresponsibleforit。Arriving，naturallyenough，atthiserroneousconclusion，LadyJane’seyesrestedforaninstantonMrs。Vanboroughwithafinelycontemptuousexpressionofinquirywhichwouldhaverousedthespiritofthetamestwomaninexistence。Theimpliedinsultstungthewife’ssensitivenaturetothequick。Sheturnedoncemoretoherhusband——thistimewithoutflinching。
　　“Whoisthatwoman？“sheasked。
　　LadyJanewasequaltotheemergency。Themannerinwhichshewrappedherselfupinherownvirtue，withouttheslightestpretensionontheonehand，andwithouttheslightestcompromiseontheother，wasasighttosee。
　　“Mr。Vanborough，“shesaid，“youofferedtotakemetomycarriagejustnow。IbegintounderstandthatIhadbetterhaveacceptedtheofferatonce。Givemeyourarm。“
　　“Stop!“saidMrs。Vanborough，“yourladyship’slooksarelooksofcontempt；yourladyship’swordscanbearbutoneinterpretation。
　　IaminnocentlyinvolvedinsomeviledeceptionwhichIdon’tunderstand。ButthisIdoknow——Iwon’tsubmittobeinsultedinmyownhouse。AfterwhatyouhavejustsaidIforbidmyhusbandtogiveyouhisarm。
　　Herhusband!
　　LadyJanelookedatMr。Vanborough——atMr。Vanborough，whomsheloved；whomshehadhonestlybelievedtobeasingleman；whomshehadsuspected，uptothatmoment，ofnothingworsethanoftryingtoscreenthefrailtiesofhisfriend。Shedroppedherhighly-bredtone；shelostherhighly-bredmanners。Thesenseofherinjuryifthiswastrue，thepangofherjealousyifthatwomanwashiswife，strippedthehumannatureinherbareofalldisguises，raisedtheangrycolorinhercheeks，andstrucktheangryfireoutofhereyes。
　　“Ifyoucantellthetruth，Sir，“shesaid，haughtily，“besogoodastotellitnow。Haveyoubeenfalselypresentingyourselftotheworld——falselypresentingyourselfto_me_——inthecharacterandwiththeaspirationsofasingleman？Isthatladyyourwife？“
　　“Doyouhearher？doyouseeher？“criedMrs。Vanborough，appealingtoherhusband，inherturn。Shesuddenlydrewbackfromhim，shudderingfromheadtofoot。“Hehesitates!“shesaidtoherself，faintly。“GoodGod!hehesitates!“
　　LadyJanesternlyrepeatedherquestion。
　　“Isthatladyyourwife？“
　　Herousedhisscoundrel-courage，andsaidthefatalword：
　　“No!“
　　Mrs。Vanboroughstaggeredback。Shecaughtatthewhitecurtainsofthewindowtosaveherselffromfalling，andtorethem。Shelookedatherhusband，withthetorncurtainclenchedfastinherhand。Sheaskedherself，“AmImad？orishe？“
　　LadyJanedrewadeepbreathofrelief。Hewasnotmarried!Hewasonlyaprofligatesingleman。Aprofligatesinglemanisshocking——butreclaimable。Itispossibletoblamehimseverely，andtoinsistonhisreformationinthemostuncompromisingterms。Itisalsopossibletoforgivehim，andmarryhim。LadyJanetookthenecessarypositionunderthecircumstanceswithperfecttact。Sheinflictedreproofinthepresentwithoutexcludinghopeinthefuture。
　　“Ihavemadeaverypainfuldiscovery，“shesaid，gravely，toMr。
　　Vanborough。“Itrestswith_you_topersuademetoforgetit!
　　Good-evening!“