The gentlemen bowed, in sign of submission to her ladyship's commands;
and comprehended that she feared Heathcock might be OFF, if the best
part of his bride (her fortune, or her EXPECTATIONS) were lowered in
value or in prospect.

'How low is she reduced,' whispered Lord Colambre, 'when such a husband
is thought a prize--and to be secured by a manoeuvre!' He sighed.

'Spare that generous sigh!' said Sir James Brooke; 'it is wasted.'

Lady Isabel, as they approached, turned from a mirror, at which she
was trying on a diamond crescent. Her face clouded at sight of Count
O'Halloran and Lord Colambre, and grew dark as hatred when she saw Sir
James Brooke. She walked away to the farther end of the shop, and asked
one of the shopmen the price of a diamond necklace which lay upon the
counter.

The man said, 'He really did not know; it belonged to Lady Oranmore; it
had just been new set for one of her ladyship's daughters, who is going
to be married to Sir James Brooke--one of the gentlemen, my lady, who
are just come in.'

Then, calling to his master, he asked him the price of the necklace; he
named the value, which was considerable.

'I really thought Lady Oranmore and her daughters were vastly too
philosophical to think of diamonds,' said Lady Isabel to her mother,
with a sort of sentimental sneer in her voice and countenance. 'But it
is some comfort to me to find, in these pattern-women, philosophy and
love do not so wholly engross the heart, that they "feel every vanity in
fondness lost."'

''Twould be difficult, in some cases,' thought many present.

''Pon honour, di'monds are cursed expensive things, I know!' said
Heathcock. 'But, be that as it may,' whispered he to the lady, though
loud enough to be heard by others, 'I've laid a damned round wager, that
no woman's diamonds married this winter, under a countess, in Lon'on,
shall eclipse Lady Isabel Heathcock's!--and Mr. Gray here's to be
judge.'

Lady Isabel paid for this promise one of her sweetest smiles; with one
of those smiles which she had formerly bestowed upon Lord Colambre,
and which he had once fancied expressed so much sensibility--such
discriminative and delicate application. Our hero felt so much contempt,
that he never wasted another sigh of pity for her degradation. Lady
Dashfort came up to him as he was standing alone; and, whilst the count
and Sir James were settling about the diamonds--

'My Lord Colambre,' said she, in a low voice, 'I k