erty, and to place the diamonds in neutral
hands,--[Lord Fawn was often called upon to be neutral
in reference to the condition of outlying Indian
principalities]--till the law should have decided as to
their ownership. As regards myself, I neither coveted nor
rejected the possession of that wealth for my future wife.
I desired simply to be free from an embarrassment which
would have overwhelmed me. You declined my request,--not
only positively, but perhaps I may add peremptorily;
and then I was bound to adhere to the decision I had
communicated to you.

Since that time the property has been stolen and, as I
believe, dissipated. The lawsuit against you has been
withdrawn; and the bone of contention, so to say, is no
longer existing. I am no longer justified in declining
to keep my engagement because of the prejudice to which
I should have been subjected by your possession of the
diamonds;--and, therefore, as far as that goes, I withdraw
my withdrawal. [This Lord Fawn thought was rather a happy
phrase, and he read it aloud to himself more than once.]

But now there arises the question whether, in both our
interests, this marriage should go on, or whether it may
not be more conducive to your happiness and to mine that
it should be annulled for causes altogether irrespective
of the diamonds. In a matter so serious as marriage, the
happiness of the two parties is that which requires graver
thought than any other consideration.

There has no doubt sprung up between us a feeling of
mutual distrust, which has led to recrimination, and which
is hardly compatible with that perfect confidence which
should exist between a man and his wife. This first arose,
no doubt, from the different views which we took as to
that property of which I have spoken,--and as to which
your judgment may possibly have been better than mine. On
that head I will add nothing to what I have already said;
but the feeling has arisen; and I fear it cannot be so
perfectly allayed as to admit of that reciprocal trust
without which we could not live happily together. I
confess that for my own part I do not now desire a union
which was once the great object of my ambition,--and that
I could not go to the altar with you without fear and
trembling. As to your own feelings, you best know what
they are. I bring no charge against you;--