The Eustace Diamonds

and H

ant, though she knew that she must be turned out into the street, had congratulated her patroness. "The Vulturess will take you in again, when she knows you've nowhere else to go," Lizzie had said,-displaying,

ers will do that,"

at Portray, because his place is in Ireland;-and nothing shall take me to Ireland. I told him that from the very first. But I don't mean to give

ked Miss Macnulty, who in such ma

uch her companion knew, and Miss Macnulty did not comprehend the depth of the ignorance of her patroness. Thus the lies which Lizzie told were amazing to Miss Macnulty. To say that Lord Fawn was in the Cabinet, when all the world knew that he was an Under-Secretary! What good could a woman get from an assertion so plainly, so manifestly false? But Lizzie knew nothing of Under-Secretaries.

better go," sai

ng. Indeed, I doubt whether they can afford to dress themselves." As she went up to bed on the Tuesday evening, Miss Macnulty doubted whether the match would go on. She never believed her friend's statements; but if spoken words might be suppo

municate to them the name and address of her attorney. 62, New Square, May 30, 186––." The effect of this note was to drive Lizzie back upon the Fawn interest. She was frightened about the diamonds, and was, nevertheless, almost determined not to surrender them. At any rate, in such a strait she would want assistance, either in keeping them or in giving them up. The lawyer's letter afflicted her with a sense of weakness, and there was strength in the Fawn connexion. As Lord Fawn was so poor, perhaps he would adhere to the jewels. She knew that she could not fight Mr. Camperdown with no

, each flattering the other, and each hinting now and again at certain little circumstances of which a more accurate knowledge seemed to be desirable. The one was conversant with things in general, but was slow; the other was quick as a lizard in turning hither and thither, but knew almost nothing. When she told Lord Fawn that the Ayrshire estate was "her own, to do what she liked with," she did not know that he would certainly find out the truth from other sources before he married her. Indeed, she was not quite sure herself whether th

of your place in I

no house,

was one,

ed to be, is called Killeagent. T

ned that it did run a good many miles up into the mountains. "How beautifull

he did inquire who was Lizzie's solicitor. "Of course there will be things to

his lawyer. As far as his belief went, there was not a more respectable gentleman in the profession. Then he in

the easier, I should

he subject steadily. "Mr. Camperdown has been very uncourteous to me;-I must say tha

thing?" asked

he read it there came upon him a great doubt. What sort of woman was this to whom he had engaged himself because she was possessed of an income? That Mr. Camperdown should be in the wrong in such a matter was an idea which never occurred to Lord Fawn. There is no form of belief stronger than that which the ordinary English gentleman has in the di

that they oughtn't to ask me to give them back,-ought they? If you had been married before, and your wife had given you a keepsake,-to keep for ever and ever, would you give it up to a lawyer? You would not like it;-would you,

s,-family diamonds," said Lord Fawn. "What

ople or the lawyer should be harsh to a widow bearing the Eustace name. The Eustaces were by disposition lavish, and old Mr. Camperdown was not one who would be strict in claiming little things for rich clients. And yet here was his letter, threatening the widow of the late baronet with legal proceedings for the recovery of jewels which had been given by Sir Florian himself to his wife as a keepsake! Perhaps Sir Florian had made some mistake,

to him at once that such a necklace is not given by a husband even to a bride in the manner described by Lizzie. A ring, or brooch, or perhaps a bracelet, a lover or a loving lord may bring in his pocket. But such an o

in regard to herself, might be glad to assist her in maintaining the possession of a sub

!" Lord Fawn riveted

I am told-b

at jew

me repairs,-or something of that kind. Po

s the ma

t quite sure whether her acquaintance with M

You don't keep them

se up-stairs for t

orian give you

she. "That is,-no. But he ordered it to be

their val

med any sum. He told me, however,

bove all evil report, to be respectable, as it were, all round, was Lord Fawn's special ambition. He was a poor man, and a greedy man, but he would have abandoned his official salary at a moment's notice, rather than there should have fallen on him a breath of public opinion hinting that it ought to be abandoned. He was especially timid, and lived in a perpetual fear lest the newspapers should say something hard of him. In that matter of

Camperdown

matter be settle

That means g

would be entrusted to Mr. Camperdown. And then some on

property,"

they belong t

anything,"

respectable man than Mr. Camperdown. You

ed at her, and did not like the change which he saw on her countenance. And he did not like the circumstances in which he found himself placed. "Why should Mr. Camperd

ivate house like this at all, if

g he wouldn't do to get them. Oh, Frederic, I hope you'll stand to me, a

nd ascertain what ought to be done. To the last, he adhered to his assurance that Mr. Camperdown could do no evil;-till Lizzie, in her wrath, asked h

d Lizzie, "and I shall lo

wo were not in good accord together. It was his fixed purpose, as he declared to her, to see Mr. Camperdown; and it was her fixed purpose,-so, at

inst me, if you stand by

look, which was very eloquent, called him a poltroon as plain as a look could spea

She looked upon him as mean and paltry because he was willing to submit to Mr. Camperdown. But still she was prompted to demand all that could be demanded from her engagement,-because she thought that she perceived a something in him which might produce in him a desire to be relieved from it. No! he should not be relieved. He should marry her. And she would keep the key of that iron box with the diamonds, and he should find what sort of a noise she would make if he attempted to take i

ithgow. The reader shall see two or three of her l

ear

me. But I think it right to let you know that I am going to be married. I am engaged to Lord Fawn, who, as you know, is a peer, and a memb

affection

Eus

the head of her husband's family. Lizzie had liked none of the Bobsborough people. They were, according to her ideas, slow, respectable, and dull. But they had not found much open fault with

Mrs. E

itted I have been to manage everything myself. I have therefore accepted an offer made to me by Lord Fawn, who is, as you know, a peer of Parliament, and a most distinguished member of Her Majesty's Government; and he is, too, a nobleman of very great influence in every respect, and has a property in Ireland, extending over ever so many miles, and running up into the

Her Majesty's Government;-so there is no fear that he will have to live upon my jointure, which, of course, would not be right. Pray tell the dear bishop and dear Margaretta all this, with my love. You will be happy,

always your most

Eus

y similar to that written to the bishop's wife. The same mention was made of her intended husband's peerage, and the same allusion to Her Majesty's Government,-a phrase which she had heard from Lord Fawn himself. She spoke of the Irish property, but in terms less glowing than she had use

ar Co

r little cousin. It was only settled a day or two since, but it has been coming on ever so long. You understand all about that;-don't you? Of course you must come to my wedding, and be very good to me,-a kind of brother, you know; for we have always been friends;-haven't we? And if the dean doesn't come up to town, you must give me away. And you mu

ortnight. Oh, dear, what shall I do all the time? You must positively come down and see m

ectionat

Eus

ing to share even them. It was but a dream, but nevertheless it pervaded her fancy constantly. Lord Fawn,-peer of Parliament, and member of Her Majesty's Government, as he was,-could not have been such a lover to her. Might it not be possible that there should exist something of romance between her and her cousin Frank? She was the last woman in the world to run a