hing. You know, at any rate, that the
diamonds were there."

"Yes;--I know that."

"And that they were taken?"

"Of course they were taken."

"You are sure of that?" There was something in his manner absolutely
insolent to her. Frank was affectionate, and even Lord Fawn treated
her with deference. "Because, you know, you have been very clever.
To tell you the truth, I did not think at first that they had been
really stolen. It might, you know, have been a little game to get
them out of your own hands,--between you and your maid."

"I don't know what you take me for, Lord George."

"I take you for a lady who, for a long time, got the better of the
police and the magistrates, and who managed to shift all the trouble
off your own shoulders on to those of other people. You have heard
that they have taken one of the thieves?"

"And they have got the girl."

"Have they? I didn't know that. That scoundrel Benjamin has levanted
too."

"Levanted!" said Lizzie, raising both her hands.

"Not an hour too soon, my lady. And now what do you mean to do?"

"What ought I to do?"

"Of course the whole truth will come out."

"Must it come out?"

"Not a doubt of that. How can it be helped?"

"You won't tell. You promised that you would not."

"Psha;--promised! If they put me in a witness-box of course I must
tell. When you come to this kind of work, promises don't go for much.
I don't know that they ever do. What is a broken promise?"

"It's a story," said Lizzie, in innocent amazement.

"And what was it you told when you were upon your oath at Carlisle;
and again when the magistrate came here?"

"Oh, Lord George;--how unkind you are to me!"

"Patience Crabstick will tell it all, without any help from me. Don't
you see that the whole thing must be known? She'll say where the
diamonds were found;--and how did they come there, if you didn't put
them there? As for telling, there'll be telling enough. You've only
two things to do."

"What are they, Lord George?"

"Go off, like Mr. Benjamin; or else make a clean breast of it. Send
for John Eustace and tell him the whole. For his brother's sake he'll
make the best of it. It will all be published, and then, perhaps,
there will be an end of it."

"I couldn't do that, Lord George!" said Lizzie, bursting into tears.

"You ask me, and I can only tell you what I think. That you should
be able to keep the history of the diamonds a secret, does not seem
to me to be upon