few hundred pounds, and insisted that the money should be
handed over to him on the day of his marriage. Mrs. Carbuncle had
declared that the money was to come from property to be realised in
New York, and had named a day which had seemed to Sir Griffin to be
as the Greek Kalends. He expressed an opinion that he was swindled,
and Mrs. Carbuncle, unable to restrain herself, had turned upon him
full of wrath. He was caught by Lizzie as he was descending the
stairs, and in the dining-room he poured out the tale of his wrongs.
"That woman doesn't know what fair dealing means," said he.

"That's a little hard, Sir Griffin, isn't it?" said Lizzie.

"Not a bit. A trumpery six hundred pounds! And she hasn't a shilling
of fortune, and never will have, beyond that! No fellow ever was more
generous or more foolish than I have been." Lizzie, as she heard
this, could not refrain from thinking of the poor departed Sir
Florian. "I didn't look for fortune, or say a word about money, as
almost every man does,--but just took her as she was. And now she
tells me that I can't have just the bit of money that I wanted for
our tour. It would serve them both right if I were to give it up."

"Why don't you?" said Lizzie. He looked quickly, sharply, and closely
into her face as she asked the question. "I would, if I thought as
you do."

"And lay myself in for all manner of damages," said Sir Griffin.

"There wouldn't be anything of that kind, I'm sure. You see, the
truth is, you and Miss Roanoke are always having--having little tiffs
together. I sometimes think you don't really care a bit for her."

"It's the old woman I'm complaining of," said Sir Griffin, "and I'm
not going to marry her. I shall have seen the last of her when I get
out of the church, Lady Eustace."

"Do you think she wishes it?"

"Who do you mean?" asked Sir Griffin.

"Why;--Lucinda."

"Of course she does. Where'd she be now if it wasn't to go on? I
don't believe they've money enough between them to pay the rent of
the house they're living in."

"Of course, I don't want to make difficulties, Sir Griffin, and no
doubt the affair has gone very far now. But I really think Lucinda
would consent to break it off if you wish it. I have never thought
that you were really in love with her."

He again looked at her very sharply and very closely. "Has she sent
you to say all this?"

"Has who sent me? Mrs. Carbuncle didn't."

"But Lucinda?"

She paused for a moment be