ity for work, he had as much business as he could attend to. When
fortune gives good gifts, she generally does so with a lavish hand.

Thus it came to pass that, about three weeks after the trial of Parsons
and Douse, Geoffrey's uncle the solicitor died, and to his surprise left
him twenty thousand pounds, "believing," he said in his will, which was
dated three days before the testator's death, "that this sum will assist
him to rise to the head of his profession."

Now that it had dawned upon her that her husband really was a success,
Honoria's manner towards him modified very considerably. She even became
amiable, and once or twice almost affectionate. When Geoffrey told her
of the twenty thousand pounds she was radiant.

"Why, we shall be able to go back to Bolton Street now," she said,
"and as luck will have it, our old house is to let. I saw a bill in the
window yesterday."

"Yes," he said, "you can go back as soon as you like."

"And can we keep a carriage?"

"No, not yet; I am doing well, but not well enough for that. Next year,
if I live, you will be able to have a carriage. Don't begin to grumble,
Honoria. I have got L150 to spare, and if you care to come round to a
jeweller's you can spend it on what you like."

"Oh, you delightful person!" said his wife.

So they went to the jeweller's, and Lady Honoria bought ornaments to
the value of L150, and carried them home and hung over them, as another
class of woman might hang over her first-born child, admiring them with
a tender ecstasy. Whenever he had a sum of money that he could afford
to part with, Geoffrey would take her thus to a jeweller's or a
dressmaker's, and stand by coldly while she bought things to its value.
Lady Honoria was delighted. It never entered into her mind that in a
sense he was taking a revenge upon her, and that every fresh exhibition
of her rejoicings over the good things thus provided added to his
contempt for her.

Those were happy days for Lady Honoria! She rejoiced in this return of
wealth like a school-boy at the coming of the holidays, or a half-frozen
wanderer at the rising of the sun. She had been miserable during all
this night of poverty, as miserable as her nature admitted of, now
she was happy again, as she understood happiness. For bred, educated,
civilized--what you will--out of the more human passions, Lady Honoria
had replaced them by this idol-worship of wealth, or rather of what
wealth brings. It gave her a posi