When she found herself alone , she crawled back to her room and threw herself face downward on the bed , praying that she might die . But she had to live through the horrible month that followed -- a month so full of agony that she seemed to draw every breath in pain . Spencer never sought her again ; he went everywhere with Miss LeMar . His infatuation was the talk of the settlement . Estella knew that her story was in everyone 's mouth , and her pride smarted ; but she carried a brave front outwardly . No one should say she cared . She believed that the actress was merely deluding Spencer for her own amusement and would never dream of marrying him . But one day the idea occurred to her that she might . Estella had always told herself that even if Spencer wanted to come back to her she would never take him back , but now , by the half-sick horror that came over her , she knew how strong the hope had really been and despised herself more than ever . One evening she was alone in the parlour . She had lit the lamp and was listlessly arranging the little room . She looked old and worn . Her colour was gone and her eyes were dull . As she worked , the door opened and Vivienne LeMar walked or , rather , reeled into the room . Estella dropped the book she held and gazed at her as one in a dream . The actress 's face was flushed and her hair was wildly disordered . Her eyes glittered with an unearthly light . She was talking incoherently . The air was heavy with the fumes of brandy . Estella laughed hysterically .
Vivienne XXXXX was grossly intoxicated .
Estella LeMar Spencer colour day evening everyone month parlour story