The dear friends of that period of feverish success would for the future be to him as--nothing.

That was the lesson of wisdom which he had endeavoured to teach himself, and the facts of the last two years had seemed to show that the lesson was a true lesson.

He had disappeared from among his former companions, and had heard almost nothing from them.

From neither Lord Chiltern or his wife had he received any tidings.

He had expected to receive none,--had known that in the common course of things none was to be expected.