the respondent, the
Countess of Blackadder. It had been an unhappy marriage, an
ill-assorted match, mercenary, of mere convenience, forced upon an
innocent and rather weak girl by careless and callous guardians, eager
to rid themselves of responsibility for the two twin sisters, Ladies
Claire and Henriette Standish, orphans, and with no near relations.

Lord Blackadder was immensely rich, but a man of indifferent moral
character, a _roue_ and a voluptuary, with a debilitated constitution
and an unattractive person, possessing none of the gifts that take a
maiden's fancy.

Estrangement soon followed the birth of the son and heir to his title
and great estates. My lord was a great deal older than his beautiful
young wife, and desperately jealous of her. Distrust grew into strong
suspicion, and presently consumed him when an old flame of Lady
Henriette's, Charlie Forrester, of the Dark Horse, turned up from
foreign service, and their names came to be bracketed together by the
senseless gossiping busybodies ever ready to tear a pretty woman's
reputation to tatters. It was so much put about, so constantly dinned
into Lord Blackadder's ears, that he was goaded into a perfect fury,
and was at length determined, by hook or by crook, to put away his
wife, leaving it to certain astute and well-practised solicitors to
manufacture a clear, solid case against her.

Lady Blackadder, who hated and despised her lord, foolishly played
into his hands. She never really went wrong, so her friends stoutly
averred, especially her sister Claire, a staunch and loyal soul, but
she gave a handle to innuendo, and more than once allowed appearances
to go against her.

There was one very awkward story that could not be disproved as it was
told, and in the upshot convicted her. It was clearly shown in
evidence that she had made up her mind to leave Lord Blackadder; more,
that she meant to elope with Major Forrester. It was said, but not so
positively, that she had met him at Victoria Station; they were seen
there together, had travelled by the same train, and there was a
strong presumption that they had arrived together at Brighton; one or
two railway officials deposed to the fact.

Lady Blackadder denied this entirely, and gave a very different
complexion to the story. She had gone to Brighton; yes, but quite
alone. Major Forrester had seen her off, no doubt, but they had parted
at the carriage door. Her visit to Brighton had been for the pur