"The excitement of this new discovery of mine must, I think, have turned

my head for a while. I felt such a devouring eagerness to see you--to

try you with a word or two about the Diamond, and to MAKE you look at

me, and speak to me, in that way--that I put my hair tidy, and made

myself as nice as I could, and went to you boldly in the library where I

knew you were writing.

"You had left one of your rings up-stairs, which made as good an excuse

for my intrusion as I could have desired. But, oh, sir! if you have ever

loved, you will understand how it was that all my courage cooled, when

I walked into the room, and found myself in your presence. And then, you

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looked up at me so coldly, and you thanked me for finding your ring in

such an indifferent manner, that my knees trembled under me, and I felt

as if I should drop on the floor at your feet. When you had thanked me,

you looked back, if you remember, at your writing. I was so mortified at

being treated in this way, that I plucked up spirit enough to speak. I

said, 'This is a strange thing about the Diamond, sir.' And you looked

up again, and said, 'Yes, it is!' You spoke civilly (I can't deny that);

but still you kept a distance--a cruel distance between us. Believing,

as I did, that you had got the lost Diamond hidden about you, while you

were speaking, your coolness so provoked me that I got bold enough, in

the heat of the moment, to give you a hint. I said, 'They will never

find the Diamond, sir, will they? No! nor the person who took it--I'll

answer for that.' I nodded, and smiled at you, as much as to say, 'I

know!' THIS time, you looked up at me with something like interest in

your eyes; and I felt that a few more words on your side and mine might

bring out the truth. Just at that moment, Mr. Betteredge spoilt it all

by coming to the door. I knew his footstep, and I also knew that it was

against his rules for me to be in the library at that time of day--let

alone being there along with you. I had only just time to get out of my

own accord, before he could come in and tell me to go. I was angry and

disappointed; but I was not entirely without hope for all that. The ice,

you see, was broken between us--and I thought I would take care, on the

next occasion, that Mr. Betteredge was out of the way.

"When I got back to the servants' hall, the bell was going for our

dinner. Afternoon already! and the materials for making the new

nightgown were still to be got! There was but one chance of getting

them. I shammed ill at dinner; and so secured the whole of the interval

from then till tea-time to my own use.




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