As regards myself, I neither coveted nor rejected the
possession of that wealth for my future wife. I desired simply to be free
from an embarrassment which would have overwhelmed me. You declined my
request--not only positively, but perhaps I may add peremptorily; and then
I was bound to adhere to the decision I had communicated to you.
"Since that time the property has been stolen and, as I believe,
dissipated. The lawsuit against you has been withdrawn; and the bone of
contention, so to say, is no longer existing. I am no longer justified in
declining to keep my engagement because of the prejudice to which I should
have been subjected by your possession of the diamonds; and therefore, as
far as that goes, I withdraw my withdrawal." This Lord Fawn thought was
rather a happy phrase, and he read it aloud to himself more than once.
"But now there arises the question whether, in both our interests, this
marriage should go on, or whether it may not be more conducive to your
happiness and to mine that it should be annulled for causes altogether
irrespective of the diamonds. In a matter so serious as marriage, the
happiness of the two parties is that which requires graver thought than
any other consideration.
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