d so he did for Sir Florian Eustace."

"That is just the reason why I employ some one else," she answered.

"Very well. I am not going to say a word about that. I may regret it,
but I am, just at present, the last person in the world to urge you
upon that subject. What I want to say is this. You must restore those
diamonds."

"To whom shall I restore them?"

"To Mr. Garnett, the silversmith, if you please,--or to Mr.
Camperdown;--or, if you like it better, to your brother-in-law, Mr.
John Eustace."

"And why am I to give up my own property?"

Lord Fawn paused for some seconds before he replied. "To satisfy
my honour," he then said. As she made him no immediate answer, he
continued,--"It would not suit my views that my wife should be seen
wearing the jewels of the Eustace family."

"I don't want to wear them," said Lizzie.

"Then why should you desire to keep them?"

"Because they are my own. Because I do not choose to be put upon.
Because I will not allow such a cunning old snake as Mr. Camperdown
to rob me of my property. They are my own, and you should defend my
right to them."

"Do you mean to say that you will not oblige me by doing what I ask
you?"

"I will not be robbed of what is my own," said Lizzie.

"Then I must declare--" and now Lord Fawn spoke very slowly--"then
I must declare that under these circumstances, let the consequences
be what they may, I must retreat from the enviable position which
your favour has given me." The words were cold and solemn, and were
ill-spoken; but they were deliberate, and had been indeed actually
learned by heart.

"What do you mean?" said Lizzie, flashing round upon him.

"I mean what I say,--exactly. But perhaps it may be well that I
should explain my motives more clearly."

"I don't know anything about motives, and I don't care anything about
motives. Do you mean to tell me that you have come here to threaten
me with deserting me?"

"You had better hear me."

"I don't choose to hear a word more after what you have said,--unless
it be in the way of an apology, or retracting your most injurious
accusation."

"I have said nothing to retract," said Lord Fawn solemnly.

"Then I will not hear another word from you. I have friends, and you
shall see them."

Lord Fawn, who had thought a great deal upon the subject, and had
well understood that this interview would be for him one of great
difficulty, was very anxious to induce her to listen to a few furthe