r,
and he pitied her. "I can understand all that," he said.

How much kinder he was than Lord George had been when she confessed
the truth to him. Here would be a rock! And such a handsome man as he
was, too,--not exactly a Corsair, as he was great in authority over
the London police,--but a powerful, fine fellow, who would know what
to do with swords and pistols as well as any Corsair;--and one, too,
no doubt, who would understand poetry! Any such dream, however, was
altogether unavailing, as the major had a wife at home and seven
children. "If you will only tell me what to do, I will do it," she
said, looking up into his face with entreaty, and pressing her hands
together in supplication.

Then at great length, and with much patience, he explained to her
what he would have her do. He thought that, if she were summoned and
used as a witness, there would be no attempt to prosecute her for
the--incorrect versions--of which she had undoubtedly been guilty.
The probability was, that she would receive assurance to this effect
before she would be asked to give her evidence, preparatory to the
committal of Benjamin and Smiler. He could not assure her that it
would be so, but he had no doubt of it. In order, however, that
things might be made to run as smooth as possible, he recommended her
very strongly to go at once to Mr. Camperdown and make a clean breast
of it to him. "The whole family should be told," said the major, "and
it will be better for you that they should know it from yourself than
from us." When she hesitated, he explained to her that the matter
could no longer be kept as a secret, and that her evidence would
certainly appear in the papers. He proposed that she should be
summoned for that day week,--which would be the Friday after
Lucinda's marriage, and he suggested that she should go to Mr.
Camperdown's on the morrow. "What!--to-morrow?" exclaimed Lizzie, in
dismay.

"My dear Lady Eustace," said the major, "the sooner you get back
into straight running, the sooner you will be comfortable." Then
she promised that she would go on the Tuesday,--the day after
the marriage. "If he learns it in the meantime, you must not be
surprised," said the major.

"Tell me one thing, Major Mackintosh," she said, as she gave him her
hand at parting,--"they can't take away from me anything that is my
own;--can they?"

"I don't think they can," said the major, escaping rather quickly
from the room.

CHAPTER LXIX