hip's next brother, Stephen Robert, married to Ella, youngest
daughter of the Reverend Silas Marden, Rector of Runnigate, and has
issue, three daughters. Younger brothers of his lordship, Francis and
Henry, unmarried. Sisters of his lordship, Lady Barville, married to
Sir Theodore Barville, Bart.; and Anne, widow of the late Peter
Norbury, Esq., of Norbury Cross. Bear his lordship's relations well in
mind, Doctor. Three brothers Westwick, Stephen, Francis, and Henry;
and two sisters, Lady Barville and Mrs. Norbury. Not one of the five
will be present at the marriage; and not one of the five will leave a
stone unturned to stop it, if the Countess will only give them a
chance. Add to these hostile members of the family another offended
relative not mentioned in the 'Peerage,' a young lady--'

A sudden outburst of protest in more than one part of the room stopped
the coming disclosure, and released the Doctor from further persecution.

'Don't mention the poor girl's name; it's too bad to make a joke of
that part of the business; she has behaved nobly under shameful
provocation; there is but one excuse for Montbarry--he is either a
madman or a fool.' In these terms the protest expressed itself on all
sides. Speaking confidentially to his next neighbour, the Doctor
discovered that the lady referred to was already known to him (through
the Countess's confession) as the lady deserted by Lord Montbarry. Her
name was Agnes Lockwood. She was described as being the superior of
the Countess in personal attraction, and as being also by some years
the younger woman of the two. Making all allowance for the follies
that men committed every day in their relations with women, Montbarry's
delusion was still the most monstrous delusion on record. In this
expression of opinion every man present agreed--the lawyer even
included. Not one of them could call to mind the innumerable instances
in which the sexual influence has proved irresistible in the persons of
women without even the pretension to beauty. The very members of the
club whom the Countess (in spite of her personal disadvantages) could
have most easily fascinated, if she had thought it worth her while,
were the members who wondered most loudly at Montbarry's choice of a
wife.

While the topic of the Countess's marriage was still the one topic of
conversation, a member of the club entered the smoking-room whose
appearance instantly produced a dead silence. Doctor Wybrow's next
ne