felt for myself and
the bishop as a pair of witless idiots unable to see our way out of the
dilemma; all this boiling and surging through my soul, I can only
wonder--Domenico having given himself a holiday, and the kitchen maid
doing her worst and wickedest--that gout or jaundice did not put an end to
this story at once.

"Uncle Paul!" Leta was looking her sweetest when she tripped into my room
next morning. "I've news for you. She," pointing a delicate forefinger in
the direction of the corridor, "is going! Her Bokums have reached Paris at
last, and sent for her to join them at the Grand Hotel."

I was thunderstruck. The longed-for deliverance had but come to remove
hopelessly and forever out of my reach Lady Carwitchet and the great
Valdez sapphire.

"Why, aren't you overjoyed? I am. We are going to celebrate the event by a
dinner party. Tom's hospitable soul is vexed by the lack of entertainment
we had provided her. We must ask the Brownleys some day or other, and they
will be delighted to meet anything in the way of a ladyship, or such smart
folks as the Duberly-Parkers. Then we may as well have the Blomfields, and
air that awful modern Sevres dessert service she gave us when we were
married." I had no objection to make, and she went on, rubbing her soft
cheek against my shoulder like the purring little cat she was: "Now I want
you to do something to please me--and Mrs. Blomfield. She has set her
heart on seeing your rubies, and though I know you hate her about as much
as you do that Sevres china--"

"What! Wear my rubies with that! I won't. I'll tell you what I will do,
though. I've got some carbuncles as big as prize gooseberries, a whole
set. Then you have only to put those Bohemian glass vases and candelabra
on the table, and let your gardener do his worst with his great forced,
scentless, vulgar blooms, and we shall all be in keeping." Leta pouted. An
idea struck me. "Or I'll do as you wish, on one condition. You get Lady
Carwitchet to wear her big sapphire, and don't tell her I wish it."

I lived through the next few days as one in some evil dream. The
sapphires, like twin specters, haunted me day and night. Was ever man so
tantalized? To hold the shadow and see the substance dangled temptingly
within reach. The bishop made no sign of ridding me of my unwelcome
charge, and the thought of what might happen in a case of
burglary--fire--earthquake--made me start and tremble at all sorts of
inopportune moment