She was very uncivil to the messenger, and the more so because
she found that the man bore her rudeness without turning upon her and
rending her. When she declared that the police had behaved very badly, and
that Major Mackintosh was inexcusable in troubling her again, and that she
had ceased to care twopence about the necklace, the man made no
remonstrance to her petulance. He owned that the trouble was very great,
and the police very inefficient. He almost owned that the major was
inexcusable. He did not care what he owned so that he achieved his object.
But when Lizzie said that she could not see Major Mackintosh at three, and
objected equally to two, four, or five; then the courteous messenger from
Scotland Yard did say a word to make her understand that there must be a
meeting--and he hinted also that the major was doing a most unusually
good-natured thing in coming to Hertford Street. Of course Lizzie made the
appointment. If the major chose to come, she would be at home at three.
As soon as the policeman was gone she sat alone, with a manner very much
changed from that which she had worn since the arrival of Lord Fawn's
letter; with a fresh weight of care upon her, greater perhaps than she had
ever hitherto borne.
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