prologue-2-第2节
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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。 But there it ended。 He stood
still in the House； he stood still in society； nobody liked him；
he made no friends。 It was all the old story over again； with
this difference； that the soured man was sourer； the gray head；
grayer； and the irritable temper more unendurable than ever。 His
wife had her rooms in the house and he had his； and the
confidential servants took care that they never met on the
stairs。 They had no children。 They only saw each other at their
grand dinners and balls。 People ate at their table； and danced on
their floor； and compared notes afterward； and said how dull it
was。 Step by step the man who had once been Mr。 Vanborough's
lawyer rose； till the peerage received him； and he could rise no
longer； while Mr。 Vanborough； on the lower round of the ladder；
looked up； and noted it； with no more chance （rich as he was and
well…connected as he was） of climbing to the House of Lords than
your chance or mine。
The man's career was ended； and on the day when the nomination of
the new peer was announced； the man ended with it。
He laid the newspaper aside without making any remark； and went
out。 His carriage set him down； where the green fields still
remain； on the northwest of London； near the foot…path which
leads to Hampstead。 He walked alone to the villa where he had
once lived with the woman whom he had so cruelly wronged。 New
houses had risen round it； part of the old garden had been sold
and built on。 After a moment's hesitation he went to the gate and
rang the bell。 He gave the servant his card。 The servant's master
knew the name as the name of a man of great wealth； and of a
Member of Parliament。 He asked politely to what fortunate
circumstance he owed the honor of that visit。 Mr。 Vanborough
answered； briefly and simply； 〃I once lived here； I have
associations with the place with which it is not necessary for me
to trouble you。 Will you excuse what must seem to you a very
strange request？ I should like to see the dining…room again； if
there is no objection； and if I am disturbing nobody。〃
The 〃strange requests〃 of rich men are of the nature of
〃privileged communications；〃 for this excellent reason； that they
are sure not to be requests for money。 Mr。 Vanborough was shown
into the dining…room。 The master of the house； secretly
wondering； watched him。
He walked straight to a certain spot on the carpet； not far from
the window that led into the garden； and nearly opposite the
door。 On that spot he stood silently； with his head on his
breastthinking。 Was it _there_ he had seen her for the last
time； on the day when he left the room forever？ Yes； it was
there。 After a minute or so he roused himself； but in a dreamy；
absent manner。 He said it was a pretty place； and expressed his
thanks； and looked back before the door closed； and then went his
way again。 His carriage picked him up where it had set him down。
He drove to the residence of the new Lord Holchester； and left a
card for him。 Then he went home。 Arrived at his house； his
secretary reminded him that he had an appointment in ten minutes'
time。 He thanked the secretary in the same dreamy； absent manner
in which he had thanked the owner of the villa； and went into his
dressing…room。 The person with whom he had made the appointment
came； and the secretary sent the valet up stairs to knock at the
door。 There was no answer。 On trying the lock it proved to be
turned inside。 They broke open the door； and saw him lying on the
sofa。 They went close to lookand found him dead by his own
hand。
VIII。
Drawing fast to its close； the Prologue reverts to the two
girlsand tells； in a few words； how the years passed with Anne
