'From what you know of my disposition and general character, you may guess the end of all this.' 'No--I do not,' said Goring. 'I married her.' 'Whew!' whistled Goring; 'in church?' 'In church! where she was given away by the manager. The "heavy old woman" acted as mother, two young ladies of the company were bridesmaids, and when, tremulously, she subscribed herself in the register Laura Dorillion, the clerk and the pew-opener gave their signatures as witnesses. The breakfast is but a confused memory. There was no rice--no old slippers; and we are told that no girl likes to be married without any of the gay things which make marriage such a joyous experience--no gay preparations--no pretty wedding in a flower-decked church--no presents--not even a new dress!' 'Well?' 'Then came a life of misery and jealousy. I trembled when other men went near her, and boiled with exasperation when love was openly made to her on the stage in the mere business of the play. I had seen enough of that done before with considerable placidity, but somehow I could not stand it now. 'With my last quarter's allowance in my pocket, and utterly vague ideas of the future in my mind, I left the house of my tutor and went to share her humble lodging in a rather obscure part of Hastings, and soon the sordid nature of our surroundings began to impress me most disagreeably, as the bubble began to burst. 'At last there came a night which I was fated not to forget for a time. 'I had brought her home from the theatre, where she had acquitted herself with singular skill and sweetness as blind Iolanthe in "King René's Daughter," and she was in the act of repeating a portion of her dialogue with Tristan as we ascended the stair-- "Another time, When I had pined for many tedious days, Because my father was detained from home, I wept for very gladness when he came! Through tears I gave my bursting heart relief, And at mine eyes it found a rushing vent." 'In our little sitting-room I found an elderly man, wearing a battered grey hat girt by a black band, and clad in shabby-genteel--nay, quite threadbare garments--standing on the hearthrug, smoking a short clay pipe, with his coat-tails over his arms, his bleared and tipsy-looking eyes--one of which had a white plaister over it--regarding the furniture and details of the apartment critically, while he took a sip from a pewter mug of beer, and set it down with a clank. '"Hullo, my girl," he exclaimed; "here you are at last! This here is a rum go. So this is the young gent as you have gone and made such a fool of yourself by marrying?" 'Laura's heart was beating fast--so fast that even respiration seemed to suffocate her; her face was blanched; her eyes had a scared expression; and gave me a glance that seemed full of shame and agony. '"Who is this impertinent scoundrel?" I demanded.