Out of mere contrariety, Mrs.
Mumbray thereupon began to encourage the slow advances of her
Rector, who thought of Serena's fortune as a means to the wider
activity, the greater distinction, for which he was hungering.
Glazzard's self-contempt as he went home this evening was not
unmingled with pleasanter thoughts. For a man in his position,
Serena Mumbray and her thousands did not represent a future of
despair. He had always aimed much higher, but defeat after defeat
left him with shaken nerves, and gloomy dialogues with his brother
had impressed upon him the necessity of guarding against darkest
possibilities. His state of mind was singularly morbid; he could not
trust the fixity of his purposes for more than a day or two
together; but just at present he thought without distaste of Serena
herself, and was soothed by the contemplation of her (to him modest)
fortune. During the past month he had been several times to and from
London; to-morrow he would return to town again, and view his
progress from a distance.
On reaching his brother's house, he found a letter waiting for him;
it bore the Paris postmark. The contents were brief.
"DEAR GLAZZARD.
"I announce to you the fact of our marriage. The
L.s will hear of it simultaneously. We are enjoying ourselves.
"Ever yours,
"D.Q."
He went at once to the room where William was sitting, and said, in
a quiet voice:
"Quarrier has just got married--in Paris.
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