ty. The murder had clearly been committed by a personal
enemy, not by a robber. Two men were known to have entertained
feelings of enmity against Mr. Bonteen; as to one of whom he was
assured that it was impossible that he should have been on the spot.
As to the other it seemed equally manifest that he must have been
there. If it were so, it would have been much better that his wife
should not display her interest publicly in the murderer's favour.
But the Duchess, wherever she went, spoke of the trial as a
persecution; and seemed to think that the prisoner should already be
treated as a hero and a martyr. "Glencora," he said to her, "I wish
that you could drop the subject of this trial till it be over."

"But I can't."

"Surely you can avoid speaking of it."

"No more than you can avoid your decimals. Out of the full heart the
mouth speaks, and my heart is very full. What harm do I do?"

"You set people talking of you."

"They have been doing that ever since we were married;--but I do not
know that they have made out much against me. We must go after our
nature, Plantagenet. Your nature is decimals. I run after units." He
did not deem it wise to say anything further,--knowing that to this
evil also of Phineas Finn the gods would at last vouchsafe an ending.

CHAPTER LIX

Mrs. Bonteen

At the time of the murder, Lady Eustace, whom we must regard as the
wife of Mr. Emilius till it be proved that he had another wife when
he married her, was living as the guest of Mr. Bonteen. Mr. Bonteen
had pledged himself to prove the bigamy, and Mrs. Bonteen had opened
her house and her heart to the injured lady. Lizzie Eustace, as she
had always been called, was clever, rich, and pretty, and knew well
how to ingratiate herself with the friend of the hour. She was
a greedy, grasping little woman, but, when she had before her a
sufficient object, she could appear to pour all that she had into
her friend's lap with all the prodigality of a child. Perhaps Mrs.
Bonteen had liked to have things poured into her lap. Perhaps Mr.
Bonteen had enjoyed the confidential tears of a pretty woman. It may
be that the wrongs of a woman doomed to live with Mr. Emilius as his
wife had touched their hearts. Be that as it might, they had become
the acknowledged friends and supporters of Lady Eustace, and she was
living with them in their little house in St. James's Place on that
fatal night.

Lizzie behaved herself very well when the te