im to incur the nuisance of speaking about them. He had
an ingrained care for what he held to belong to his caste, and about
property he liked to be lordly; also he had a consciousness of
indignity to himself in having to ask for anything in the world. But
however he might assert his independence of Mrs. Glasher's past, he had
made a past for himself which was a stronger yoke than any he could
impose. He must ask for the diamonds which he had promised to Gwendolen.

At last they were alone again, with the candles above them, face to
face with each other. Grandcourt looked at his watch, and then said, in
an apparently indifferent drawl, "There is one thing I had to mention,
Lydia. My diamonds--you have them."

"Yes, I have them," she answered promptly, rising and standing with her
arms thrust down and her fingers threaded, while Grandcourt sat still.
She had expected the topic, and made her resolve about it. But she
meant to carry out her resolve, if possible, without exasperating him.
During the hours of silence she had longed to recall the words which
had only widened the breach between them.

"They are in this house, I suppose?"

"No; not in this house."

"I thought you said you kept them by you."

"When I said so it was true. They are in the bank at Dudley."

"Get them away, will you? I must make an arrangement for your
delivering them to some one."

"Make no arrangement. They shall be delivered to the person you
intended them for. _I_ will make the arrangement."

"What do you mean?"

"What I say. I have always told you that I would give them up to your
wife. I shall keep my word. She is not your wife yet."

"This is foolery," said Grandcourt, with undertoned disgust. It was too
irritating that this indulgence of Lydia had given her a sort of
mastery over him in spite of dependent condition.

She did not speak. He also rose now, but stood leaning against the
mantle-piece with his side-face toward her.

"The diamonds must be delivered to me before my marriage," he began
again.

"What is your wedding-day?"

"The tenth. There is no time to be lost."

"And where do you go after the marriage?"

He did not reply except by looking more sullen. Presently he said, "You
must appoint a day before then, to get them from the bank and meet
me--or somebody else I will commission;--it's a great nuisance, Mention
a day."

"No; I shall not do that. They shall be delivered to her safely. I
shall keep my word."