happy to be his friend.
You remember our last duel. Chiltern is with you, and
can put Fawn up to the proper way of getting over to
Flanders,--and of returning, should he chance to escape.

Yours always most faithfully,

BARRINGTON ERLE.

Of course, I'll keep you posted in everything respecting
the necklace till you come to town yourself.

The whole of this letter Lady Glencora read to the duke, to Lady
Chiltern, and to Madame Goesler;--and the principal contents of it
she repeated to the entire company. It was certainly the general
belief at Matching that Lord George had the diamonds in his
possession,--either with or without the assistance of their late fair
possessor.

The duke was struck with awe when he thought of all the
circumstances. "The brother of a marquis!" he said to his nephew's
wife. "It's such a disgrace to the peerage!"

"As for that, duke," said Lady Glencora, "the peerage is used to it
by this time."

"I never heard of such an affair as this before."

"I don't see why the brother of a marquis shouldn't turn thief
as well as anybody else. They say he hasn't got anything of his
own;--and I suppose that is what makes men steal other people's
property. Peers go into trade, and peeresses gamble on the Stock
Exchange. Peers become bankrupt, and the sons of peers run
away;--just like other men. I don't see why all enterprises should
not be open to them. But to think of that little purring cat,
Lady Eustace, having been so very--very clever! It makes me quite
envious."

All this took place in the morning;--that is, about two o'clock;
but after dinner the subject became general. There might be some
little reticence in regard to Lord Fawn's feelings,--but it was not
sufficient to banish a subject so interesting from the minds and lips
of the company. "The Tewett marriage is to come off, after all," said
Mrs. Bonteen. "I've a letter from dear Mrs. Rutter, telling me so as
a fact."

"I wonder whether Miss Roanoke will be allowed to wear one or two of
the diamonds at the wedding," suggested one of the private
secretaries.

"Nobody will dare to wear a diamond at all next season," said Lady
Glencora. "As for my own, I sha'n't think of having them out. I
should always feel that I was being inspected."

"Unless they unravel the mystery," said Madame Goesler.

"I hope they won't do that," said Lady Glencora. "The play is too
good to come to an end so soon. If we hear that Lord