In such circumstances how could she now tell the truth? But it
might be that already had the thieves been taken. In that case would not
the truth be known, even though she should not tell it? Then she thought
for a while that she would get rid of the diamonds altogether, so that no
one should know aught of them. If she could only think of a place fit for
such purpose, she would so hide them that no human ingenuity could
discover them. Let the thieves say what they might, her word would, in
such case, be better than that of the thieves. She would declare that the
jewels had been in the box when the box was taken. The thieves would swear
that the box had been empty. She would appeal to the absence of the
diamonds, and the thieves--who would be known as thieves--would be
supposed, even by their own friends and associates, to have disposed of
the diamonds before they had been taken. There would be a mystery in all
this, and a cunning cleverness, the idea of which had in itself a certain
charm for Lizzie Eustace. She would have all the world at a loss. Mr.
Camperdown could do nothing further to harass her; and would have been, so
far, overcome.
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