"`Quite right, my boy,' I says. `Give it to me. There, be off down!' "Well, sir, as soon as I was alone, I ripped up the bag, for it was locked; and hang me if it hadn't got in all her jewels--every blessed thing: diamonds and sapphires and rubies and emeralds and pearls; thousands and thousands of pounds' worth, for she would go it in jewels; and when I offended her I used to have to make it up by giving her something new. That woman cost me a pot of money, Moorpark, 'pon my soul she did, for I never shilly-shallied. If she was upset I always bought her something new." "But, really, I don't understand all this!" said Lord Henry feebly. "Wait a bit. She had meant to take her jewels with her, and the idiot of a boy blundered the thing, somehow, and instead of her having them I have the whole blessed lot. For I pitched the cases in the iron safe where I keep my papers, locked 'em up, came on here to see after her, and there's the keys!" He slapped his pocket, and looked at Lord Henry as he spoke. "I never expected it," said Elbraham coolly; "it was her dodge." "Then where do you expect she is?" "Why, bolted, man; gone to the devil--or with the devil, that black-looking rascal Malpas; and a deuced good job too!" "But this is very dreadful!" said Lord Henry. "It would have been if she had got away with all those stones," said Elbraham, helping himself to more wine. "But she was done there. By Jingo! what a cat-and-dog life we have led!" "But, my dear sir!" cried Lord Henry, hardly able to conceal his disgust; "what steps are you going to take to save her?" "Save her? save her?" said Elbraham. "She don't want any saving." "Oh yes, from such a terrible fall. It may not yet be too late!" "Save her?" cried Elbraham, with a hoarse chuckle. "Why, Moorpark, you don't know her. Keep it dark from your wife, who is a good one. You drew the best lot. There's no saving Clo; she's bad to the core, and I'm devilish glad she's gone, for I shall get a little peace now." "But you are going to pursue her?" said Lord Henry. "Pursue her! What for? To have her scratch my eyes out, and that black scoundrel Malpas punch my head? No, thankye--deuced good port this! She's gone, and jolly go with her! I wash my hands of her now." "But this is terrible, Elbraham." "Terrible? Why, it's bliss to me; she'd have killed me. I used to be a bit jealous at first; but I had to get over that, for she was always flirting with someone." "But you must fetch her back, Elbraham!" exclaimed Lord Henry excitedly. "Think of the family credit!" "Family credit!" cried Elbraham. "Why, they hadn't got none--poor as Job, and nobody would trust them." "The family honour, then, sir," said Lord Henry sternly. "Family honour's best without her. Jolly good riddance of bad rubbish, I say! She's gone, and she won't come back; and as for hunting for her, why, it would be disgracing your wife to do so." "But really--" began Lord Henry.