ates ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁an ▁era . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁and ▁its ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁characters , ▁this ▁list ▁is ▁select ive . ▁† ▁denotes ▁a ▁minor ▁character . ▁ ▁Gordon / D em ing / Ste vens ▁family ▁ ▁Anne ▁Alexander ▁Gordon ▁– ▁V aled ict or ian ▁of ▁her ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁gradu ating ▁class ▁at ▁Way nes bor o ▁Fem ale ▁College , ▁she ▁mar ries ▁Dr . ▁John ▁Gordon ▁and ▁encourag es ▁him ▁to ▁res ume ▁pract icing ▁medicine . ▁Although ▁hurt ▁by ▁his ▁occas ional ▁inf idel ities , ▁she ▁cho oses ▁to ▁over look ▁them ▁out ▁of ▁love . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁she ▁becomes ▁the ▁last ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Club ▁to ▁die . ▁▁ ▁Dr . ▁John ▁" D ock " ▁Gordon ▁– ▁A ▁medical ▁doctor ▁trained ▁by ▁Anne ' s ▁father , ▁he ▁is ▁ha unted ▁by ▁his ▁bad ▁experiences ▁tre ating ▁cas ual ties ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁has ▁trouble ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁suffering ▁of ▁his ▁patients , ▁which ▁he ▁internal izes . ▁Despite ▁his ▁difficulties , ▁he ▁is ▁a ▁compet ent ▁and ▁comp ass ion ate ▁doctor , ▁and ▁is ▁especially ▁sensitive ▁to ▁the ▁pl ight ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁female ▁patients ▁who ▁have ▁married ▁into ▁bad ▁situations . ▁He ▁lov es ▁and ▁mar ries ▁Anne , ▁but ▁secret ly ▁commits ▁ad ul tery ▁with ▁various ▁women ▁as ▁a ▁moment ary ▁escape ▁from ▁the ▁pressure ▁of ▁his