'Of course she will come; who ever doubted it?' responded Lady Julia, as she somewhat contemptuously tossed Bella's unopened note into the fire; and Jerry turned away to join Goring and his cousin Emily, who were looking over a portfolio of prints upon a stand of gilded wood. To Jerry at this precise time the familiar yet gorgeous drawing-room, with all its inlaid cabinets and brackets, bearing treasures of art and _bric-a-brac_, as seen under the soft light of wax candles in sconces and the glittering crystal chandelier, gave a sense of worry by its apparent incongruity, as did the very attire of his mother and cousin by the richness of its materials, the laces, the jewelry; and he absolutely shivered when he thought of the coming birthday ball, with its hundred and four guests on one hand, and the mortgages of Chevenix with their unpaid interest on the other. To Jerry it seemed that ere long his mother might have to betake herself to Bruges or Boulogne to retrench, while he might have to exchange for India if the route came not speedily for Africa. Bevil Goring, when they were alone, heard with genuine concern the state of affairs as Jerry set them before him, and agreed with him that to continue his attentions to Miss Chevenix would lead to an entire misconstruction on the part of herself and her father as to the true state of his heart, and lead them to infer that he was only a fortune-hunter; and honest Jerry blushed scarlet at the name, and twirled and gnawed his moustache with intense irritation. Though she failed to take in the whole situation--which Jerry knew would be the case--Lady Julia heard his tidings with considerable alarm, and felt her wrath increased against Mr. Chevenix, which was utterly unreasonable. 'The state of our--or rather your--affairs, as this man has set them before you, Jerry,' said Lady Julia, 'now renders it absolutely necessary that you should marry for money, and that at once.' 'Or cut the service and emigrate,' groaned Jerry. 'Emigrate!' 'Invest in a pickaxe and spade, and try Ballarat or the Diamond Fields.' 'How can you jest thus?' said his mother, loftily. 'To me the nearest heiress seems to be Bella Chevenix,' said Jerry, not unwilling to revenge her for the slighting remarks his mother daily made. 'She has a fortune certainly--a fortune won by advances made upon our lands--but of what use can it be to her, brought up, as she has been, ignorant of the habits, the tastes, and requirements of our class?' 'She is ignorant of none, and enjoys them all,' replied Jerry, with some asperity. 'You inherited the estate encumbered, and have, in no small degree, added to its burdens, and, if you do not make a rich marriage, may be--my poor, dear Jerry--a ruined man.' 'We are going to fight King Koffee, they say. I'll get taken prisoner, and marry his youngest daughter!' cried Jerry, with a gleam of his old recklessness.