"No," she said, "I thank you; I believe when you give me that advice you mean well, but I cannot follow it. If I were dying of hunger I would not touch even a crumb of bread that came from Lady Lanswell. I will never even return to the house which has been my own. I will take no one single thing belonging to them. I will leave them my hatred and my curse. And you tell Countess Lucia, from me, that my hatred shall find her out, and my vengeance avenge me." She rose from her chair and took the letter she had brought with her. "I will never part with this," she said; "I will keep it near me always, and the reading of it may stimulate me when my energy tires. I have no message for Lord Chandos; to you I say farewell." "She is going to kill herself," he thought; "and then, if it gets into the papers, my lady will wax wroth." She seemed to divine his thoughts, for she smiled, and the smile was more sad than tears. "I shall not harm myself," she said: "death is sweeter than life, but life holds 'vengeance.' Good-bye." CHAPTER XXXVI. AFTER THREE YEARS. "The question is," said Lord Chandos, "shall we go or not? Please yourself, Marion, and then," he added, with an air of weariness, "you will be sure to please me." "I should like to go, certainly, if you really have no other engagement, Lance," said Lady Chandos. "My engagements always give place to your pleasure," replied the young husband. "If you really desire to see this new star we will go. I will see about it at once." Still Lady Chandos seemed irresolute. "It is quite true," she said, "that all London has gone mad about her, just as Paris, Vienna, and St. Petersburg did." "London is always going mad about something or other, but the madness never lasts long." "I have read many things," continued his wife calmly, "but I have never read anything like the description of the scene at the opera-house last evening; it really made me long to see her." "Then let the longing be gratified, by all means," said Lord Chandos. "We will go this evening. Consider it settled, Marion, and do not think of changing your plans." It was breakfast-time, and the husband and wife were discussing the advent of a new actress and singer--one who was setting the world on fire--Madame Vanira. Lord and Lady Chandos always took breakfast together; it was one of the established rules, never broken; it was the only time in the day when they were quite sure of seeing each other. It was three years since they were married, and time had not worked any great change in either. Lady Chandos was even more beautiful than in her maiden days. She had the same sweet repose of manner, the same high-bred elegance and grace, the same soft, low voice, but the beauty of her face had grown deeper.