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