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“Ah，you？Yes，youknowher。Shetookmywifefromme，Mr。Acton。
HeavenonlyknowswhattheholdwasthatshehadoverpoorMira。
Sheencouragedhertosetmeatdefianceandeventuallytoleaveme。ShewasanswerableforallthescandalousfollyandextravaganceofpoorMira’slifeinParis——sparemethetellingofthestory。Sheleftheratlasttodiealoneanduncaredfor。I
reachedmywifetofindherdyingofafeverfromwhichLadyCarwitchetandhercrewhadfled。Shewasravingindelirium，anddiedwithoutrecognizingme。SometroubleshehadbeeninwhichI
mustneverknowoppressedher。Attheverylastsherousedfromalongstuporandspoketothenurse。’Tellhimtogetthesapphireback——shestoleit。Shehasrobbedmychild。’Thosewereherlastwords。ThenurseunderstoodnoEnglish，andtreatedthemaswandering；butIheardthem，andknewshewassanewhenshespoke。“
“Whatdidyoudo？“
“WhatcouldI？IsawLadyCarwitchet，wholaughedatme，anddefiedmetomakeherconfessordisgorge。Itookthependanttomorethanoneeminentjeweleronpretenseofhavingthesettingseento，andallhaveexaminedandadmiredwithoutgivingahintoftherebeinganythingwrong。Iallowedacelebratedmineralogisttoseeit；hegavenosign——“
“Perhapstheyarerightandwearewrong。“
“No，no。Listen。IheardofanoldDutchmancelebratedforhisimitations。Iwenttohim，andhetoldmeatoncethathehadbeenallowedbyMontanarotocopytheValdez——settingandall——fortheParisExhibition。Ishowedhimthis，andheclaimeditforhisownworkatonce，andpointedouthisprivatemarkuponit。Youmusttakeyourmagnifiertofindit；aGreekBeta。HealsotoldmethathehadsoldittoLadyCarwitchetmorethanayearago。
“Itisaterribleposition。“
“Itis。Myco-trusteediedlately。Ihaveneverdaredtohaveanotherappointed。Iamboundtohandoverthesapphiretomydaughteronhermarriage，ifherhusbandconsentstotakethenameofMontanaro。“
Thebishop’sfacewasghastlypale，andthemoisturestartedonhisbrow。Irackedmybrainforsomewordofcomfort。
“MissPantonmaynevermarry。“
“Butshewill！“heshouted。“Thatistheblowthathasbeendealtmeto-day。Mychaplain——actually，mychaplain——tellsmethatheisgoingoutasatemperancemissionarytoequatorialAfrica，andhastheassurancetoaddthathebelievesmydaughterisnotindisposedtoaccompanyhim！“Hisconsummatingwrathactedasamomentarystimulant。Hesatupright，hiseyesflashingandhisbrowthunderous。Ifeltforthatchaplain。Thenhecollapsedmiserably。“Thesapphireswillhavetobeproduced，identified，revalued。HowshallIcomeoutofit？Thinkofthedisgrace，therippingupofoldscandals！EvenifIweretocompoundwithLadyCarwitchet，thesumshehintedatwastoomonstrous。Shewantsmorethanmymoney。Helpme，Mr。Acton！Forthesakeofyourownfamilyinterests，helpme！“
“Ibegyourpardon——familyinterests？Idon’tunderstand。“
“Ifmydaughterischildless，hernextofkinispoorMarmadukePanton，whoisdyingatCannes，notmarried，orlikelytomarry；
andfailinghim，yournephew，SirThomasActon，succeeds。“
MynephewTom！Leta，orLeta’sbaby，mightcometobethepossibleinheritorofthegreatValdezsapphire！ThebloodrushedtomyheadasIlookedatthegreatshiningswindlebeforeme。“Whatdiabolicjugglerywasatworkwhentheexchangewasmade？“I
demandedfiercely。
“ItmusthavebeenonthelastoccasionofherwearingthesapphiresinLondon。Ioughtnevertohaveletheroutofmysight“
“YoumustputastoptoMissPanton’smarriageinthefirstplace，“
Ipronouncedasautocraticallyashecouldhavedonehimself。
“Nottobethoughtof，“headmittedhelplessly。“Mirahasmyforceofcharacter。Sheknowsherrights，andshewillhaveherjewels。
Iwantyoutotakechargeofthe——thingforme。Ifit’sinthehouseshe’llmakemeproduceit。She’llinquireatthebanker’s。
IfYOUhaveitwecangaintime，ifbutforadayortwo。“Hebrokeoff。Carriagewheelswerecrashingonthegraveloutside。
Welookedatoneanotherinconsternation。Flightwasimperative。
Ihurriedhimdownstairsandoutoftheconservatoryjustasthedoorbellrang。Ithinkwebothlostourheadsintheconfusion。
Heshovedthecaseintomyhands，andIpocketedit，withoutathoughtoftheawfulresponsibilityIwasincurring，andsawhimdisappearintotheshelterofthefriendlynight。
WhenIthinkofwhatmyfeelingswerethatevening——ofmymurderoushatredofthatsmirking，jestingJezebelwhosatoppositemeatdinner，mywrathfulindignationatthethoughtofthepoorlittleexpectedheirdefraudederehisbirth；ofthecrushingcontemptI
feltformyselfandthebishopasapairofwitlessidiotsunabletoseeourwayoutofthedilemma；allthisboilingandsurgingthroughmysoul，Icanonlywonder——Domenicohavinggivenhimselfaholiday，andthekitchenmaiddoingherworstandwickedest——thatgoutorjaundicedidnotputanendtothisstoryatonce。
“UnclePaul！“Letawaslookinghersweetestwhenshetrippedintomyroomnextmorning。“I’venewsforyou。She，“pointingadelicateforefingerinthedirectionofthecorridor，“isgoing！
HerBokumshavereachedParisatlast，andsentforhertojointhemattheGrandHotel。“
Iwasthunderstruck。Thelonged-fordeliverancehadbutcometoremovehopelesslyandforeveroutofmyreachLadyCarwitchetandthegreatValdezsapphire。
“Why，aren’tyouoverjoyed？Iam。Wearegoingtocelebratetheeventbyadinnerparty。Tom’shospitablesoulisvexedbythelackofentertainmentwehadprovidedher。WemustasktheBrownleyssomedayorother，andtheywillbedelightedtomeetanythinginthewayofaladyship，orsuchsmartfolksastheDuberly-Parkers。ThenwemayaswellhavetheBlomfields，andairthatawfulmodernSevresdessertserviceshegaveuswhenweweremarried。“Ihadnoobjectiontomake，andshewenton，rubbinghersoftcheekagainstmyshoulderlikethepurringlittlecatshewas:
“NowIwantyoutodosomethingtopleaseme——andMrs。Blomfield。
Shehassetherheartonseeingyourrubies，andthoughIknowyouhateheraboutasmuchasyoudothatSevreschina——“
“What！Wearmyrubieswiththat！Iwon’t。I’lltellyouwhatI
willdo，though。I’vegotsomecarbunclesasbigasprizegooseberries，awholeset。ThenyouhaveonlytoputthoseBohemianglassvasesandcandelabraonthetable，andletyourgardenerdohisworstwithhisgreatforced，scentless，vulgarblooms，andweshallallbeinkeeping。“Letapouted。Anideastruckme。“OrI’lldoasyouwish，ononecondition。YougetLadyCarwitchettowearherbigsapphire，anddon’ttellherIwishit。“
Ilivedthroughthenextfewdays
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