st reposed in him.
"They know all about it in Scotland Yard," he said; "I got it from
Gager. They were bound to tell me, as up to this week past every
man in the police thought that I had been the master-mind among the
thieves. When I think of it I hardly know whether to laugh or cry."

"And she had them all the time?" exclaimed Mrs. Carbuncle.

"Yes;--in this house! Did you ever hear of such a little cat? I could
tell you more than that. She wanted me to take them and dispose of
them."

"No!"

"She did though;--and now see the way she treats me! Never mind.
Don't say a word to her about it till it comes out of itself. She'll
have to be arrested, no doubt."

"Arrested!" Mrs. Carbuncle's further exclamations were stopped by
Lucinda's struggles in the other room. She had declined to sit upon
the bridegroom's lap, but had acknowledged that she was bound to
submit to be kissed. He had kissed her, and then had striven to drag
her on to his knee. But she was strong, and had resisted violently,
and, as he afterwards said, had struck him savagely. "Of course I
struck him," said Lucinda.

"By ----, you shall pay for it!" said Sir Griffin. This took place in
the presence of Lord George and Mrs. Carbuncle, and yet they were to
be married to-morrow.

"The idea of complaining that a girl hit you,--and the girl who is to
be your wife!" said Lord George, as they walked off together.

"I know what to complain of, and what not," said Sir Griffin. "Are
you going to let me have that money?"

"No;--I am not," said Lord George,--"so there's an end of that."
Nevertheless, they dined together at their club afterwards, and in
the evening Sir Griffin was again in Hertford Street.

This happened on the Sunday, on which day none of the ladies had gone
to church. Mr. Emilius well understood the cause of their absence,
and felt nothing of a parson's anger at it. He was to marry the
couple on the Monday morning, and dined with the ladies on the
Sunday. He was peculiarly gracious and smiling, and spoke of the
Hymeneals as though they were even more than ordinarily joyful and
happy in their promise. To Lizzie he was almost affectionate, and
Mrs. Carbuncle he flattered to the top of her bent. The power of the
man in being sprightly under such a load of trouble as oppressed the
household, was wonderful. He had to do with three women who were
worldly, hard, and given entirely to evil things. Even as regarded
the bride, who felt the horror o