arranged the robbery in the
London house as soon as he learned from Lizzie where the diamonds
were placed. To her mind this had been the most ready solution of the
mystery, and when she found that other people almost regarded him as
the thief, her doubts became a belief. And she did not in the least
despise or dislike him or condemn him for what he had done. Were he
to come to her and confess it all, telling his story in such a manner
as to make her seem to be safe for the future, she would congratulate
him and accept him at once as her own dear, expected Corsair. But, if
so, he should not have bungled the thing. He should have managed his
subordinates better than to have one of them turn evidence against
him. He should have been able to get rid of a poor weak female like
Patience Crabstick. Why had he not sent her to New York, or--or--or
anywhere? If Lizzie were to hear that Lord George had taken Patience
out to sea in a yacht,--somewhere among the bright islands of which
she thought so much,--and dropped the girl overboard, tied up in a
bag, she would regard it as a proper Corsair arrangement. Now she was
angry with Lord George because her trouble was coming back upon her.
Frank had suggested that Lord George was the robber in chief, and
Lizzie merely shrugged her shoulders. "We shall know all about it
now," said he triumphantly.

"I don't know that I want to know any more about it. I have been so
tortured about these wretched diamonds, that I never wish to hear
them mentioned again. I don't care who has got them. My enemies used
to think that I loved them so well that I could not bear to part with
them. I hated them always, and never took any pleasure in them. I
used to think that I would throw them into the sea; and when they
were gone I was glad of it."

"Thieves ought to be discovered, Lizzie,--for the good of the
community."

"I don't care for the community. What has the community ever done for
me? And now I have something else to tell you. Ever so many people
came yesterday as well as that wretched policeman. Dear Lady Glencora
was here again."

"They'll make a Radical of you among them, Lizzie."

"I don't care a bit about that. I'd just as soon be a Radical as a
stupid old Conservative. Lady Glencora has been most kind, and she
brought me the dearest message from the Duke of Omnium. The duke had
heard how ill I had been treated."

"The duke is doting."

"It is so easy to say that when a man is old. I