that cannot be matched in London. How say you, Mistress
Lorna, to a hundred thousand pounds?"

My darling's eyes so flashed at this, brighter than any diamonds, that
I said to myself, "Well, all have faults; and now I have found out
Lorna's--she is fond of money!" And then I sighed rather heavily; for of
all faults this seems to me one of the worst in a woman. But even before
my sigh was finished, I had cause to condemn myself. For Lorna took the
necklace very quietly from the hands of Squire Faggus, who had not half
done with admiring it, and she went up to my mother with the sweetest
smile I ever saw.

"Dear kind mother, I am so glad," she said in a whisper, coaxing mother
out of sight of all but me; "now you will have it, won't you, dear? And
I shall be so happy; for a thousandth part of your kindness to me no
jewels in the world can match."

I cannot lay before you the grace with which she did it, all the air
of seeking favour, rather than conferring it, and the high-bred fear of
giving offence, which is of all fears the noblest. Mother knew not what
to say. Of course she would never dream of taking such a gift as that;
and yet she saw how sadly Lorna would be disappointed. Therefore, mother
did, from habit, what she almost always did, she called me to help her.
But knowing that my eyes were full--for anything noble moves me so,
quite as rashly as things pitiful--I pretended not to hear my mother,
but to see a wild cat in the dairy.

Therefore I cannot tell what mother said in reply to Lorna; for when I
came back, quite eager to let my love know how I worshipped her, and
how deeply I was ashamed of myself, for meanly wronging her in my heart,
behold Tom Faggus had gotten again the necklace which had such charms
for him, and was delivering all around (but especially to Annie, who was
wondering at his learning) a dissertation on precious stones, and his
sentiments about those in his hand. He said that the work was very
ancient, but undoubtedly very good; the cutting of every line was
true, and every angle was in its place. And this he said, made all the
difference in the lustre of the stone, and therefore in its value. For
if the facets were ill-matched, and the points of light so ever little
out of perfect harmony, all the lustre of the jewel would be loose
and wavering, and the central fire dulled; instead of answering, as it
should, to all possibilities of gaze, and overpowering any eye intent on
its deeper my