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both his movements and mine； and during that time； as she
relinquished gradually all hopes of inducing him to abandon his
purpose； she was being driven to her last despairing resolve。
〃Later； when all was over； Jack told me the story of that spring
and summer。 He told me how； when he found me immovable on the
subject； he had resolved to stop the marriage somehow through Delia
herself。 He had made her acquaintance； and sought her society
frequently。 She had taken a fancy to him； and he admitted that he
had availed himself of this fact to increase his intimacy with her；
and； as he hoped ultimately； his power over her。 But he was not
conscious of ever having varied in his manner towards her of
contemptuous indifference。 This contradictory behavior；his being
constantly near her； yet always beyond her reach；was probably the
very thing which excited her fancy into passion； the one strong
passion of the poor woman's life。 Then came his deliberate demand
that she should by her own act unmask herself in my sight。 The
unfortunate woman tried to bargain for some proof of affection in
return； and on this occasion had first openly declared her feelings
towards him。 He did not believe her； he refused her terms； but
when as her payment she asked for the ring which was so especially
associated with himself； he agreed to give it to her。 Otherwise
hoping； no doubt against hope； dreading above all things a quarrel
and final separation； she submitted unconditionally。 And from the
time of that evening； when Legard and I had overheard her parting
words； Jack never saw her again until the last and final
catastrophe。
〃It was in July。 My parents had returned to England； but had come
straight on here。 Jack and I were dining together with Lady Sylvia
at her father's househer brother； young Grey； making the fourth
at dinner。 I had arranged to go to a party with your mother； and I
told the servants that a lady would call for me early in the
evening。 The house stood in Park Lane； and after dinner we all
went out on to the broad balcony which opened from the drawing…
room。 There was a strong wind blowing that night； and I remember
well the vague； disquieted feeling of unreality that possessed me；
sweeping through me； as it were； with each gust of wind。 Then；
suddenly； a servant stood behind me； saying that the lady had come
for me； and was in the drawing…room。 Shocked that my aunt should
have troubled herself to come so far； I turned quickly； stepped
back into the room； and found myself face to face with Delia。 She
was fully dressed for the evening； with a long silk opera…cloak
over her shoulders； her face as white as her gown； her splendid
eyes strangely wide open and shining。 I don't know what I said or
did； I tried to get her away； but it was too late。 The others had
heard us； and appeared at the open window。 Jack came forward at
once； speaking rapidly； fiercely； telling her to leave the house at
once； promising desperately that he would see her in his own rooms
on the morrow。 Well I remember how her answer rang out；
〃'Neither to…morrow nor another day： I will never leave you again
while I live。'
〃At the same instant she drew something swiftly from under her
cloak； there was the sound of a pistol shot and she lay dead at our
feet； her blood splashing upon Jack's shirt and hands as she fell。〃
Alan paused in his recital。 He was trembling from head to foot；
but he kept his eyes turned steadily downwards； and both face and
voice were coldalmost expressionless。
〃Of course there was an inquest；〃 he resumed； 〃which； as usual；
exercised its very ill…defined powers in inquiring into all
possible motives for the suicide。 Young Grey； who had stepped into
the room just before the shot had been fired； swore to the last
words Delia had uttered； Legard to those he had overheard the night
of that dreadful supper： there were scores of men to bear witness
to the intimate relations which had existed between her and Jack
during the whole of the previous spring。 I had to give evidence。
A skillful lawyer had been retained by one of her sisters； and had
been instructed by her on points which no doubt she had originally
learnt from Delia herself。 In his hands； I had not only to
corroborate Grey and Legard； and to give full details of that last
interview； but also to swear to the peculiar value which Jack
attached to the talisman ring which he had given Delia； to the
language she had held when I saw her after my return from Oxford；
to her subsequent letter； and Jack's fatal silence on the occasion。
The story by which Jack and I strove to account for the facts was
laughed at as a clumsy invention； and my undisguised reluctance in
giving evidence added greatly to its weight against my brother's
character。
〃The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind； the
result of desertion by her lover。 You may imagine how that verdict
was commented upon by every Radical newspaper in the kingdom； and
for once society more than corroborated the opinions of the press。
The larger public regarded the story as an extreme case of the
innocent victim and the cowardly society villain。 It was only
among a comparatively small set that Delia's reputation was known；
and there； in view of Jack's notorious and peculiar intimacy； his
repudiation of all relations with her was received with
contemptuous incredulity。 That he should have first entered upon
such relations at the very time when he was already courting Lady
Sylvia was regarded even in those circles as a 'strong order；' and
they looked upon his present attitude with great indignation； as a
cowardly attempt to save his own character by casting upon the dead
woman's memory all the odium of a false accusation。 With an entire
absence of logic； too； he was made responsible for the suicide
having taken place in Lady Sylvia's presence。 She had broken off
the engagement the day after the catastrophe； and her family； a
clan powerful in the London world； furious at the mud through which
her name had been dragged； did all that they could to intensify the
feeling already existing against Jack。
〃Not a voice was raised in his defense。 He was advised to leave
the army； he was requested to withdraw from some of his clubs；
turned out of others； avoided by his fast acquaintances； cut by his
respectable ones。 It was enough to kill a weaker man。
〃He showed no resentment at the measure thus dealt out to him。
Indeed； at the first； except for Sylvia's desertion of him； he
seemed dully indifferent to it all。 It was as if his soul had been
stunned； from the moment that that wretched woman's blood had
splashed upon his fingers； and her dead eyes had looked up into his
own。
〃But it was not long before he realized the full extent of the
social damnation which had been inflicted upon him； and he then
resolved to leave the country and go to America。 The night before
he