CHAPTER V

The Eustace Necklace

John Eustace, Lady Eustace's brother-in-law, had told his friend
Greystock, the lady's cousin, that Mr. Camperdown the lawyer intended
to "jump upon" that lady. Making such allowance and deduction from
the force of these words as the slang expression requires, we may say
that John Eustace was right. Mr. Camperdown was in earnest, and did
intend to obtain the restoration of those jewels. Mr. Camperdown
was a gentleman of about sixty, who had been lawyer to Sir
Florian's father, and whose father had been lawyer to Sir Florian's
grandfather. His connexion with the property and with the family
was of a nature to allow him to take almost any liberty with the
Eustaces. When therefore John Eustace, in regard to those diamonds,
had pleaded that the heir in his long minority would obtain ample
means of buying more diamonds, and of suggesting that the plunder for
the sake of tranquillity should be allowed, Mr. Camperdown took upon
himself to say that he'd "be ---- if he'd put up with it!" "I really
don't know what you are to do," said John Eustace.

"I'll file a bill in Chancery if it's necessary," said the old
lawyer. "Heaven on earth! as trustee how are you to reconcile
yourself to such a robbery? They represent L500 a year for ever, and
she is to have them simply because she chooses to take them!"

"I suppose Florian could have given them away. At any rate he could
have sold them."

"I don't know that," said Mr. Camperdown. "I have not looked as yet,
but I think that this necklace has been made an heirloom. At any rate
it represents an amount of property that shouldn't and couldn't be
made over legally without some visible evidence of transfer. It's
as clear a case of stealing as I ever knew in my life, and as bad
a case. She hadn't a farthing, and she has got the whole of the
Ayrshire property for her life. She goes about and tells everybody
that it's hers to sell to-morrow if she pleases to sell it! No,
John;--" Mr. Camperdown had known Eustace when he was a boy, and had
watched him become a man, and hadn't yet learned to drop the name by
which he had called the boy,--"we mustn't allow it. What do you think
of her applying to me for an income to support her child,--a baby not
yet two years old?" Mr. Camperdown had been very adverse to all the
circumstances of Sir Florian's marriage, and had subjected himself to
Sir Florian's displeasure for expressing his opinion. He had tried t