He read it over twice, folded it carefully, and pushed it across the table.

Having done this, he got up and went over to the window.
Campbell looked at him in surprise, and then took up the paper, and opened it.

As he read it, his face became ghastly pale and he fell back in his chair.

A horrible sense of sickness came over him.

He felt as if his heart was beating itself to death in some empty hollow.
After two or three minutes of terrible silence, Dorian turned round and came and stood behind him, putting his hand upon his shoulder.
"I am so sorry for you, Alan," he murmured, "but you leave me no alternative.