manage　it　among　us。〃
  〃We　will　manage　it　AMONG　us；　for　if　the　diet　allowed　should　not
  make　you　boisterously　gay；　I　have　a　remedy　behind；　suited　to　your
  temperament。　　I　am　old…fashioned；　and　believe　in　the　temperaments。〃
  〃And　what　is　that　wemedy？〃
  〃Try　diet；　and　hard　exercise；　first。〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　but　let　me　know　that　wemedy。〃
  〃I　warn　you　it　is　what　we　call　in　medicine　an　heroic　one。〃
  〃Never　mind。　　I　am　despewate。〃
  〃Well；　then；　the　heroic　remedyto　be　used　only　as　a　desperate
  resort；　mindyou　must　marry　an　Irishman。〃
  This　took　the　lady's　breath　away。
  〃Mawwy　a　nice　man？〃
  〃A　nice　man；　no。　　That　means　a　fool。　　Marry　scientificallya
  precaution　eternally　neglected。　　Marry　a　Hibernian　gentleman；　a
  being　as　mercurial　as　you　are　lymphatic。〃
  〃Mercurial！lymphatic！〃
  〃Oh；　hard　words　break　no　bones；　ma'am。〃
  〃No；　sir。　　And　it　is　very　curious。　　No；　I　won't　tell　you。　　Yes；　I
  will。　　Hem　II　think　I　have　noticed　one。〃
  〃One　what？〃
  〃One　Iwishmandangling　after　me。〃
  〃Then　your　ladyship　has　only　to　tighten　the　cordand　HE'S　done
  for。〃
  Having　administered　this　prescription；　our　laughing　philosopher
  went　off　to　Italy；　and　there　fell　in　with　some　countrymen　to　his
  mind；　so　he　accompanied　them　to　Egypt　and　Palestine。
  His　absence；　and　Lord　Tadcaster's；　made　Rosa　Staines's　life
  extremely　monotonous。　　Day　followed　day；　and　week　followed　week；
  each　so　unvarying；　that；　on　a　retrospect；　three　months　seemed　like
  one　day。
  And　I　think　at　last　youth　and　nature　began　to　rebel；　and　secretly
  to　crave　some　little　change　or　incident　to　ruffle　the　stagnant
  pool。　　Yet　she　would　not　go　into　society；　and　would　only　receive
  two　or　three　dull　people　at　the　villa；　so　she　made　the　very
  monotony　which　was　beginning　to　tire　her；　and　nursed　a　sacred　grief
  she　had　no　need　to　nurse；　it　was　so　truly　genuine。
  She　was　in　this　forlorn　condition；　when；　one　morning；　a　carriage
  drove　to　the　door；　and　a　card　was　brought　up　to　her〃Mr。　Reginald
  Falcon。〃
  Falcon's　history；　between　this　and　our　last　advices；　is　soon
  disposed　of。
  When；　after　a　little　struggle　with　his　better　angel；　he　rode　past
  his　wife's　gate；　he　intended；　at　first；　only　to　go　to　Cape　Town；
  sell　the　diamonds；　have　a　lark；　and　bring　home　the　balance：　but；　as
  he　rode　south；　his　views　expanded。　　He　could　have　ten　times　the　fun
  in　London；　and　cheaper；　since　he　could　sell　the　diamonds　for　more
  money；　and　also　conceal　the　true　price。　　This　was　the　Bohemian's
  whole　mind　in　the　business。　　He　had　no　designs　whatever　on　Mrs。
  Staines；　nor　did　he　intend　to　steal　the　diamonds；　but　to　embezzle　a
  portion　of　the　purchase…money；　and　enjoy　the　pleasures　and　vices　of
  the　capital　for　a　few　months；　then　back　to　his　milch　cow；　Phoebe；
  and　lead　a　quiet　life　till　the　next　uncontrollable　fit　should　come
  upon　him　along　with　the　means　of　satisfying　it。
  On　the　way；　he　read　Staines's　letter　to　Mrs。　Falcon；　very
  carefully。　　He　never　broke　the　seal　of　the　letter　to　Mrs。　Staines。
  That　was　to　be　given　her　when　he　had　broken　the　good　news　to　her；
  and　this　he　determined　to　do　with　such　skill；　as　should　make　Dr。
  Staines　very　unwilling　to　look　suspiciously　or　ill…naturedly　into
  money　accounts。
  He　reached　London；　and　being　a　thorough　egotist；　attended　first　to
  his　own　interests；　he　never　went　near　Mrs。　Staines　until　he　had
  visited　every　diamond　merchant　and　dealer　in　the　metropolis；　he
  showed　the　small　stones　to　them　all　but　he　showed　no　more　than　one
  large　stone　to　each。
  At　last　he　got　an　offer　of　twelve　hundred　pounds　for　the　small
  stones；　and　the　same　for　the　large　yellow　stone；　and　nine　hundred
  pounds　for　the　second　largest　stone。　　He　took　this　nine　hundred
  pounds；　and　instantly　wrote　to　Phoebe；　telling　her　he　had　a　sudden
  inspiration　to　bring　the　diamonds　to　England；　which　he　could　not
  regret；　since　he　had　never　done　a　wiser　thing。　　He　had　sold　a
  single　stone　for　eight　hundred　pounds；　and　had　sent　the　doctor's
  four　hundred　pounds　to　her　account　in　Cape　Town；　and　as　each　sale
  was　effected；　the　half　would　be　so　remitted。　　She　would　see　by
  that；　he　was　wiser　than　in　former　days。　　He　should　only　stay　so
  long　as　might　be　necessary　to　sell　them　all　equally　well。　　His　own
  share　he　would　apply　to　paying　off　mortgages　on　the　family　estate；
  of　which　he　hoped　some　day　to　see　her　the　mistress；　or　he　would
  send　it　direct　to　her；　whichever　she　might　prefer。
  Now　the　main　object　of　this　artful　letter　was　to　keep　Phoebe　quiet；
  and　not　have　her　coming　after　him；　of　which　he　felt　she　was　very
  capable。
  The　money　got　safe　to　Cape　Town；　but　the　letter　to　Phoebe
  miscarried。　　How　this　happened　was　never　positively　known；　but　the
  servant　of　the　lodging…house　was　afterwards　detected　cutting　stamps
  off　a　letter；　so　perhaps　she　had　played　that　game　on　this　occasion。
  By　this　means；　matters　took　a　curious　turn。　　Falcon；　intending　to
  lull　his　wife　into　a　false　security；　lulled　himself　into　that　state
  instead。
  When　he　had　taken　care　of　himself；　and　got　five　hundred　pounds　to
  play　the　fool　with；　then　he　condescended　to　remember　his　errand　of
  mercy；　and　he　came　down　to　Gravesend；　to　see　Mrs。　Staines。
  On　the　road；　he　gave　his　mind　seriously　to　the　delicate　and
  dangerous　task。　　It　did　not；　however；　disquiet　him　as　it　would　you；
  sir；　or　you；　madam。　　He　had　a　great　advantage　over　you。　　He　was　a
  liara　smooth；　ready；　accomplished　liarand　he　knew　it。
  This　was　the　outline　he　had　traced　in　his　mind：　he　should　appear
  very　subdued　and　sad；　should　wear　an　air　of　condolence。　　But；　after
  a　while；　should　say；　〃And　yet　men　have　been　lost　like　that；　and
  escaped。　　A　man　was　picked　up　on　a　raft　in　those　very　latitudes；
  and　brought　into　Cape　Town。　　A　friend　of　mine　saw　him；　months
  after；　at　the　hospital。　　His　memory　was　shakencould　not　tell　his
  name；　but　in　other　respects　he　was　all　right　again。〃
  If　Mrs。　Staines　took　fire　at　this；　he　would　say　his　friend　knew　all
  the　particulars；　and　he　would　ask　him；　and　so　leave　that　to　rankle
  till　next　visit。　　And　having　planted　his　germ　of　hope；　he　would
  grow　it；　and　water　it；　by　visits　and　correspondence；　till　he　could
  throw　off　the　mask；　and　say　he　was　convinced　Staines　was　alive：　and
  from　that；　by　other　degrees；　till　he　could　say；　on　his　wife's
  authority；　that　the　man　picked　up　at　sea；　and　cured　at　her　house；
  was　the　very　physician　who　had　saved　her　brother's　life：　and　so　on
  to　the　overwhelming　proof　he　carried　in　the　ruby　ring　and　the　letter。
  I　am　afraid　the　cunning　and　dexterity；　the　subtlety　and　tact
  required；　interested　him　more　in　the　commission　than　did　the
  benevolence。　　He　called；　sent　up　his　card；　and　composed　his
  countenance　for　his　part；　like　an　actor　at　the　Wing。
  〃Not　at　home。〃
  He　stared　with　amazement。
  The　history　of　a　〃Not　at　home〃　is　not；　in　general；　worth　recording：
  but　this　is　an　exception。
  On　receiving　Falcon's　card；　Mrs。　Staines　gave　a　little　start；　and
  colored　faintly。　　She　instantly　resolved　not　to　see　him。　　What！　the
  man　she　had　flirted　with；　almost　jilted；　and　refused　to　marryhe
  dared　to　be　alive　when　her　Christopher　was　dead；　and　had　come　there
  to　show　her　HE　was　alive！
  She　said　〃Not　at　home〃　with　a　tone　of　unusual　sharpness　and
  decision；　which　left　the　servant　in　no　doubt　he　must　be　equally
  decided　at　the　hall　door。
  Falcon　received　the　sudden　freezer　with　amazement。　　〃Nonsense；〃
  said　he。　　〃Not　at　home　at　this　time　of　the　morningto　an　old
  friend！〃
  〃Not　at　home；〃　said　the　man　doggedly。
  〃Oh；　very　well；〃　said　Falcon　with　a　bitter　sneer；　and　returned　to
  London。
  He　felt　sure　she　was　at　home；　and　being　a　tremendous　egotist；　he
  said；　〃Oh！　all　right。　　If　she　would　rather　not　know　her　husband　is
  alive；　it　is　all　one　to　me；〃　and　he　actually　took　no　more　notice　of
  her　for　a　full　week；　and　never　thought　of　her；　except　to　chuckle
  over　the　penalty　she　was　paying　for　daring　to　affront　his　vanity。
  However；　Sunday　came；　he　saw　a　dull　day　before　him；　and　so　he
  relented；　and　thought　he　would　give　her　another　trial。
  He　went　down　to　Gravesend　by　boat；　and　strolled　towards　the　villa。
  When　he　was　about　a　hundred　yards　from　the　villa；　a　lady；　all　in
  black；　came　out　with　a　nurse　and　child。
  Falcon　knew　her　figure　all　that　way　off；　and　it　gave　him　a　curious
  thrill　that　surprised　him。　　He　followed　her；　and　was　not　very　far
  behind　her　when　she　reached　the　church。　　She　turned　at　the　porch；
  kissed　the　child　earnestly；　and　gave　the　nurse　some　directions；
  then　entered　the　church。
  〃Come；〃　said　Falcon；　〃I'll　have　a　look　at　her；　any　way。〃
  He　went　into　the　church；　and　walked　up　a　side　aisle　to　a　pillar；
  from　which　he　thought　he　might　be　able　to　see　the　whole
  congregation；　and；　sure　enough；　there　she　sat；　a　few　yards　from
  him。　　She　was　lovelier　than　ever。　　Mind　had　grown　on　her　face　with
  trouble。　　An　angelic　expression　illuminated　her　beauty；　he　gazed　on
  her；　fascinated。　　He　drank　and　drank　her　beauty　two　mortal　hours；
  and　when　the　church　broke　up；　and　she　went　home；　he　was　half　afraid
  to　follow　her；　for　he　felt　how　hard　it　would　be　to　say　anything　to
  her　but　that　the　old　love　had　returned　on　him　with　double　force。
  However；　having　watched　her　home；　he　walked　slowly　to　and　fro
  composing　himself　for　the　interview。
  He　now　determined　to　make　the　process　o