e no right to be kind
to me. If a man stopped me in the street and offered me half-a-crown
it might be kindness;--but I don't want the man's half-crown."

"I don't think it is the same, papa. There is a reason here."

"Perhaps so, my dear; but I do not see the reason."

She became very red, but even to him she would not explain her ideas.
"I think I shall answer it."

"Certainly answer it. Your compliments to the Duchess and thank her
for her kind inquiries."

"But she says she will come here."

"I should not notice that."

"Very well, papa. If you think so, of course I will not. Perhaps it
would be an inconvenience, if she were really to come." On the next
day she did write a note, not quite so cold as that which her father
proposed, but still saying nothing as to the offered visit. She felt,
she said, very grateful for the Duchess's kind remembrance of her.
The Duchess would perhaps understand that at present her sorrow
overwhelmed her.

And there was one other tender of kindness which was more surprising
than even that from the Duchess. The reader may perhaps remember that
Ferdinand Lopez and Lady Eustace had not parted when they last saw
each other on the pleasantest terms. He had been very affectionate,
but when he had proposed to devote his whole life to her and to carry
her off to Guatemala she had simply told him that he was--a fool.
Then he had escaped from her house and had never again seen Lizzie
Eustace. She had not thought very much about it. Had he returned to
her the next day with some more tempting proposition for making money
she would have listened to him,--and had he begged her pardon for
what had taken place on the former day she would have merely laughed.
She was not more offended than she would have been had he asked her
for half her fortune instead of her person and her honour. But, as it
was, he had escaped and had never again shown himself in the little
street near May Fair. Then she had the tidings of his death, first
seeing the account in a very sensational article from the pen of Mr.
Quintus Slide himself. She was immediately filled with an intense
interest which was infinitely increased by the fact that the man
had but a few days before declared himself to be her lover. It was
bringing her almost as near to the event as though she had seen it!
She was, perhaps, entitled to think that she had caused it! Nay;--in
one sense she had caused it, for he certainly would not have
destroyed