been one of Westboro's ushers, and his smaller part of
the affair left him with the distressing idea that he had assisted at a
sacrifice.

It would be euphemistic to say that Westboro' poured out his heart to
Bulstrode; Englishmen do not have such refreshments. Little by little,
rather in short curt phrases, a cynical word whose mocking fellow only
followed after some moments' silence--little by little, whilst the
smoky wreaths of the men's cigars veiled their confidences, the Duke
slowly told the story of ten years of married life. In this intimacy
he disclosed the history of the separation which formed at the moment
the subject of general public comment. Jimmy was relieved when the
moment came that the Duke thought opportune to say:

"There, old chap, you have the whole story! It's this cursed tradition
of marriage, and you're a lucky fellow to be free. I have never spoken
to any one before--you know it. I don't need to tell you so, but you
were in, as it were, at the start, and what do you think of the finish?"

Bulstrode reserved his opinion.

Westboro' Castle had been built in the sixteenth century by a lover of
the Virgin Queen. The stones were paved with memories. In the Picture
Hall the ardent gentleman three hundred years before had for one sole
hour entertained Elizabeth at a feast. She left him, obdurate and
unyielding, and he went crazy and followed the royal coach to the park
gate, weeping, his hands before his face; and there on the ground, his
fair curls torn, and the dust from the departing vehicles alone of the
glory that touched him, his people found him.

"How they prate of inequality, and of the crime of grafting the
American rose on these old stalks," Bulstrode mused. The beauty of
Frances, Duchess of Westboro', he had himself been one of the first to
concede; a portrait of her by Lehnbach did not to his eyes do her
justice. The fresh purity of her type had not been seized by the
German. She would be an ideal Duchess, he had said of her when the
mission of Westboro' to America had been bruited, and Westboro' had
thought: "She's a strong, fine woman, and will bear me beautiful
children."

She had borne him two. Bulstrode, in passing through the house, had
seen the low gates at the doors of two sunny rooms, the toys spread as
they had been lain. His own were the only apartments in that wing of
the castle, and the silence at the end of the hall was never broken.
When Westboro' had