of
his readers have read the wonderful and vexatious adventures of Lady
Eustace, a lady of good birth, of high rank, and of large fortune,
who, but a year or two since, became almost a martyr to a diamond
necklace which was stolen from her. With her history the present
reader has but small concern, but it may be necessary that he should
know that the lady in question, who had been a widow with many
suitors, at last gave her hand and her fortune to a clergyman whose
name was Joseph Emilius. Mr. Emilius, though not an Englishman by
birth,--and, as was supposed, a Bohemian Jew in the earlier days of
his career,--had obtained some reputation as a preacher in London,
and had moved,--if not in fashionable circles,--at any rate in
circles so near to fashion as to be brought within the reach of Lady
Eustace's charms. They were married, and for some few months Mr.
Emilius enjoyed a halcyon existence, the delights of which were,
perhaps, not materially marred by the necessity which he felt of
subjecting his young wife to marital authority. "My dear," he would
say, "you will know me better soon, and then things will be smooth."
In the meantime he drew more largely upon her money than was pleasing
to her and to her friends, and appeared to have requirements for
cash which were both secret and unlimited. At the end of twelve
months Lady Eustace had run away from him, and Mr. Emilius had made
overtures, by accepting which his wife would be enabled to purchase
his absence at the cost of half her income. The arrangement was not
regarded as being in every respect satisfactory, but Lady Eustace
declared passionately that any possible sacrifice would be preferable
to the company of Mr. Emilius. There had, however, been a rumour
before her marriage that there was still living in his old country a
Mrs. Emilius when he married Lady Eustace; and, though it had been
supposed by those who were most nearly concerned with Lady Eustace
that this report had been unfounded and malicious, nevertheless, when
the man's claims became so exorbitant, reference was again made to
the charge of bigamy. If it could be proved that Mr. Emilius had a
wife living in Bohemia, a cheaper mode of escape would be found for
the persecuted lady than that which he himself had suggested.

It had happened that, since her marriage with Mr. Emilius, Lady
Eustace had become intimate with our Mr. Bonteen and his wife. She
had been at one time engaged to marry Lord Fawn, one o