ing for my wedding. It is very kind
of you;--but pray don't do that."

"I shouldn't think of going now till after your marriage. It only
wants ten or twelve days."

"I count them. I know how many days it wants. It may want more than
that."

"You can't put it off now, I should think," said Lizzie; "and as I
have ordered my dress for the occasion I shall certainly stay and
wear it."

"I am very sorry for your dress. I am very sorry for it all. Do you
know;--I sometimes think I shall--murder him."

"Lucinda,--how can you say anything so horrible! But I see you are
only joking." There did come a ghastly smile over that beautiful
face, which was so seldom lighted up by any expression of mirth or
good humour. "But I wish you would not say such horrible things."

"It would serve him right;--and if he were to murder me, that would
serve me right. He knows that I detest him, and yet he goes on with
it. I have told him so a score of times, but nothing will make him
give it up. It is not that he loves me, but he thinks that that will
be his triumph."

"Why don't you give it up, if it makes you unhappy?"

"It ought to come from him,--ought it not?"

"I don't see why," said Lizzie.

"He is not bound to anybody as I am bound to my aunt. No one can have
exacted an oath from him. Lady Eustace, you don't quite understand
how we are situated. I wonder whether you would take the trouble to
be good to me?"

Lucinda Roanoke had never asked a favour of her before;--had never,
to Lizzie's knowledge, asked a favour of any one. "In what way can I
be good to you?" she said.

"Make him give it up. You may tell him what you like of me. Tell him
that I shall only make him miserable, and more despicable than he
is;--that I shall never be a good wife to him. Tell him that I am
thoroughly bad, and that he will repent it to the last day of his
life. Say whatever you like,--but make him give it up."

"When everything has been prepared!"

"What does all that signify compared to a life of misery? Lady
Eustace, I really think that I should--kill him, if he really
were--were my husband." Lizzie at last said that she would, at any
rate, speak to Sir Griffin.

And she did speak to Sir Griffin, having waited three or four days
for an opportunity to do so. There had been some desperately sharp
words between Sir Griffin and Mrs. Carbuncle with reference to money.
Sir Griffin had been given to understand that Lucinda had, or would
have, some