im in the wrong.

"I seldom disappoint him in matters of this kind," he said. "Indeed, I
may say I have, as a rule, surpassed his expectations, and I must be
careful never to fall short of them in this way again. But ah! Miss
Middleton, I am sure you will agree with me how difficult it is to
preserve an even course without relaxing a little at times."

"My dear Mr. Charles," said Jane, beaming at him over her knitting, but
not quite taking him in the manner he intended, "you are young yet, but
don't be downhearted. I am sure by your face that as you grow older
these deviations, which you so properly regret, will grow fewer and
fewer, until, as life goes on, they will gradually cease altogether."

"I consider it not improbable myself," said Charles, with a faint smile,
and he changed the conversation. I really cannot put down here all that
he proceeded to say in the most cold-blooded manner concerning Carr and
Aurelia, or as he _would_ call them, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, _alias_
Sinclair, _alias_ Tibbits. I for one don't believe a word of it; and I
don't see how he could have found it all out, as he said he had, through
the police, and people of that kind. I don't consider it is at all
respectable consorting with the police in that way; but then Charles
never was respectable, as I told Jane after he left, arousing excited
feelings on her part which made me regret having mentioned it.

According to him, Carr, who had never been seen or heard of since the
day after the accident, was a professional thief, who had probably gone
to ---- in India with the express design of obtaining possession of Sir
John's jewels, which had, till near the time of his death, been safely
stowed away in a bank in Calcutta. He and his wife usually worked
together; but on this occasion she had, by means of her engaging manners
and youthful appearance, struck up an acquaintance abroad with Lady Mary
Cunningham, who, it will be remembered, had jewels of considerable
value, with a view to those jewels. Ralph she had used as her tool, and
engaged herself to him in the expectation that on her return to England
she might, by means of her intimacy with the family, have an opportunity
of taking them--Lady Mary having left them, while abroad, with her
banker in London. The opportunity came while she was at Stoke Moreton;
but in the mean while Sir John's priceless legacy had arrived, having
eluded her husband's vigilance. (That certainly was true. The jewels