"
"And when I found that you always travelled with ten thousand pounds'
worth of diamonds in a box, that surprised me very much. I thought that
you were a very dangerous companion."
"Pray don't talk about the horrid necklace."
"Then came the robbery, and you seemed to lose your diamonds without being
at all unhappy about them. Of course, we understand that now." On hearing
this, Lizzie smiled, but did not say a word. "Then I perceived that I--I
was supposed to be the thief. You--you yourself couldn't have suspected me
of taking the diamonds, because--because you'd got them, you know, all
safe in your pocket. But you might as well own the truth now. Didn't you
think that it was I who stole the box?"
"I wish it had been you," said Lizzie laughing.
"All that surprised me. The police were watching me every day as a cat
watches a mouse, and thought that they surely had got the thief when they
found that I had dealings with Benjamin. Well, you--you were laughing at
me in your sleeve all the time."
"Not laughing, Lord George."
"Yes, you were. You had got the kernel yourself, and thought that I had
taken all the trouble to crack the nut and had found myself with nothing
but the shell.
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