d to regard her and her mother conjointly as
co-heiresses, in different degrees, to all the personal property
which the old Earl left behind him. We can't with safety take any
other view. There will still be difficulties in their way;--and very
serious difficulties, were she to marry this tailor; but, between you
and me, he would eventually get the money. Perhaps, Mr. Flick, you
had better see him. You would know how to get at his views without
compromising anybody. But, in the first place, let the Countess know
everything. After what has been done, you won't have any difficulty
in meeting Mr. Goffe."

Mr. Flick had no difficulty in seeing Mr. Goffe,--though he felt that
there would be very much difficulty in seeing Mr. Daniel Thwaite.
He did tell Mr. Goffe the story of the wicked tailor,--by no means
making those excuses which the Solicitor-General had made for the
man's presumptuous covetousness. "I knew the trouble we should have
with that man," said Mr. Goffe, who had always disliked the Thwaites.
Then Mr. Flick went on to say that Mr. Goffe had better tell the
Countess,--and Mr. Goffe on this point agreed with his adversary. Two
or three days after that, but subsequently to the date of the last
letter which the mother had written to her daughter, Lady Lovel was
told that Lady Anna was engaged to marry Mr. Daniel Thwaite.

She had suspected how it might be; her heart had for the last month
been heavy with the dread of this great calamity; she had made her
plans with the view of keeping the two apart; she had asked her
daughter questions founded on this very fear;--and yet she could not
for a while be brought to believe it. How did Mr. Goffe know? Mr.
Goffe had heard it from Mr. Flick, who had heard it from Sir William
Patterson; to whom the tale had been told by Lord Lovel. "And who
told Lord Lovel?" said the Countess flashing up in anger.

"No doubt Lady Anna did so," said the attorney. But in spite of her
indignation she could retain her doubts. The attorney, however, was
certain. "There could be no hope but that it was so." She still
pretended not to believe it, though fully intending to take all due
precautions in the matter. Since Mr. Goffe thought that it would be
prudent, she would remove to other lodgings. She would think of that
plan of going abroad. She would be on her guard, she said. But she
would not admit it to be possible that Lady Anna Lovel, the daughter
of Earl Lovel, her daughter, should have s