, not only of the laws, but of custom in such matters.
Messrs. Mowbray and Mopus and Mr. Benjamin were the allies to whom
she looked for guidance; but she was wise enough to know that
Mowbray and Mopus, and Harter and Benjamin were not trustworthy,
whereas Camperdown and Son and the Messrs. Garnett were all
as firm as rocks and as respectable as the Bank of England.
Circumstances,--unfortunate circumstances,--drove her to Harter and
Benjamin and to Mowbray and Mopus, while she would have taken so much
delight in feeling the strong honesty of the other people to be on
her side! She would have talked to her friends about Mr. Camperdown
and the people at Garnett's with so much satisfaction! But ease,
security, and even respectability may be bought too dearly. Ten
thousand pounds! Was she prepared to surrender such a sum as that?
She had, indeed, already realised the fact that it might be very
difficult to touch the money. When she had suggested to Mr. Benjamin
that he should buy the jewels, that worthy tradesman had by no means
jumped at the offer. Of what use to her would be a necklace always
locked up in an iron box, which box, for aught she knew, myrmidons
from Mr. Camperdown might carry off during her absence from the
house? Would it not be better to come to terms and surrender? But
then what should the terms be?

If only there had been a friend whom she could consult; a friend
whom she could consult on a really friendly footing!--not a simply
respectable, off-handed, high-minded friend, who would advise her as
a matter of course to make restitution. Her uncle the dean, or her
cousin Frank, or old Lady Fawn, would be sure to give her such advice
as that. There are people who are so very high-minded when they have
to deal with the interests of their friends! What if she were to ask
Lord Fawn?

Thoughts of a second marriage had, of course, crossed Lady Eustace's
mind, and they were by no means the worst thoughts that found a place
there. She had a grand idea,--this selfish, hard-fisted little woman,
who could not bring herself to abandon the plunder on which she had
laid her hand,--a grand idea of surrendering herself and all her
possessions to a great passion. For Florian Eustace she had never
cared. She had sat down by his side, and looked into his handsome
face, and read poetry to him,--because of his wealth, and because
it had been indispensable to her to settle herself well. And he had
been all very well,--a gene