'

'Are they valuable?' in a careless tone. 'Hum! pretty stones; very
pretty stones, indeed. Few Baronets' ladies have a prettier set; worth
perhaps a 1000L.; say 1200L. Lady Aphrodite Grafton is not the
Duchess of St. James, you know,' said Mr. Garnet, as if he anticipated
furnishing that future lady with a very different set of brilliants.

'Mr. Garnet, you can do me the greatest favour.' 'Your Grace has only to
command me at all times.'

'Well, then, in a word, for time presses, can you contrive, without
particularly altering--that is, without altering the general appearance
of these diamonds--can you contrive to change the stones, and substitute
the most valuable that you have; consistent, as I must impress upon you,
with maintaining their general appearance as at present?'

'The most valuable stones,' musingly repeated Mr. Garnet; 'general
appearance as at present? Your Grace is aware that we may run up some
thousands even in this set?'

'I give you no limit.'

'But the time,' rejoined Mr. Garnet. 'They must be ready for her
Ladyship's party. We shall be hard pressed. I am afraid of the time.'

'Cannot the men work all night? Pay them anything.'

'It shall be done, your Grace. Your Grace may command me in anything.'

'This is a secret between us, Garnet. Your partners------'

'Shall know nothing. And as for myself, I am as close as an emerald in a
seal-ring.'

CHAPTER XIV.

_Close of the Season_

HUSSEIN PACHA, 'the favourite,' not only of the Marquess of Mash, but of
Tattersall's, unaccountably sickened and died. His noble master, full of
chagrin took to his bed, and followed his steed's example. The death
of the Marquess caused a vacancy in the stewardship of the approaching
Doncaster. Sir Lucius Grafton was the other steward, and he proposed to
the Duke of St. James, as he was a Yorkshireman, to become his
colleague. His Grace, who wished to pay a compliment to his county,
closed with the proposition. Sir Lucius was a first-rate jockey; his
colleague was quite ignorant of the noble science in all its details;
but that was of slight importance. The Baronet was to be the working
partner, and do the business; the Duke the show member of the concern,
and do the magnificence; as one banker, you may observe, lives always in
Portland Place, reads the Court Journal all the morning, and has an
opera-box, while his partner lodges in Lombard Street, thumbs a
price-current, and only has a box at C