me;--nothing. And what you say to me now is all for yourself,--not
for him. But it is true that he does not see me. It is true that he
does not write to me. You may tell him from me,--for I cannot write
to him myself,--that he may do whatever is best for him. But if you
tell him that I do not love him better than all the world, you will
lie to him. And if you say that he loves you better than he does me,
that also will be a lie. I know his heart."

"But Lucy--"

"I will hear no more. He can do as he pleases. If money be more to
him than love and honesty, let him marry you. I shall never trouble
him; he may be sure of that. As for you, Lizzie, I hope that we may
never meet again."

She would not get into the Eustace-Carbuncle carriage, which was
waiting for her at the door, but walked back to Bruton Street. She
did not doubt but that it was all over with her now. That Lizzie
Eustace was an inveterate liar, she knew well; but she did believe
that the liar had on this occasion been speaking truth. Lady Fawn was
not a liar, and Lady Fawn had told her the same. And, had she wanted
more evidence, did not her lover's conduct give it? "It is because I
am poor," she said to herself,--"for I know well that he loves me!"

CHAPTER LXV

Tribute

Lizzie put off her journey to Scotland from day to day, though her
cousin Frank continually urged upon her the expediency of going.
There were various reasons, he said, why she should go. Her child
was there, and it was proper that she should be with her child. She
was living at present with people whose reputation did not stand
high,--and as to whom all manner of evil reports were flying about
the town. It was generally thought,--so said Frank,--that that Lord
George de Bruce Carruthers had assisted Mr. Benjamin in stealing the
diamonds, and Frank himself did not hesitate to express his belief
in the accusation. "Oh no, that cannot be," said Lizzie, trembling.
But, though she rejected the supposition, she did not reject it very
firmly. "And then, you know," continued Lizzie, "I never see him. I
have actually only set eyes on him once since the second robbery,
and then just for a minute. Of course, I used to know him,--down
at Portray,--but now we are strangers." Frank went on with his
objections. He declared that the manner in which Mrs. Carbuncle
had got up the match between Lucinda Roanoke and Sir Griffin was
shameful,--all the world was declaring that it was shameful,--t