I spent part of the Long with him down at Ventnor, where his mother had been ordered for her health.

She was devoted to Derrick, and as far as I can understand, he was her chief comfort in life.

Major Vaughan, the husband, had been out in India for years; the only daughter was married to a rich manufacturer at Birmingham, who had a constitutional dislike to mothers-in-law, and as far as possible eschewed their company; while Lawrence, Derrick's twin brother, was for ever getting into scrapes, and was into the bargain the most unblushingly selfish fellow I ever had the pleasure of meeting.
"Sydney," said Mrs.Vaughan to me one afternoon when we were in the garden, "Derrick seems to me unlike himself, there is a division between us which I never felt before.

Can you tell me what is troubling him ?" She was not at all a good-looking woman, but she had a very sweet, wistful face, and I never looked at her sad eyes without feeling ready to go through fire and water for her.

I tried now to make light of Derrick's depression.
"He is only going through what we all of us go through," I said, assuming a cheerful tone.