The Eustace Diamonds

On the 8th Lizzie and Mr. Emilius became man and wife, and on that same day Lady Glencora Palliser entertained a large company of guests at Matching Priory. That the Duke of Omnium was there was quite a matter of course. Indeed, in these days Lady Glencora seldom separated herself far, or for any long time, from her husband's uncle,--doing her duty to the head of her husband's family in the most exemplary manner.

Necklace war ends not in courtroom triumph but in Emilius marriage timed against Matching talk — plot closed by society chorus — so plot scores 91.

Lucy Morris was a governess in the house of old Lady Fawn, when our beautiful young widow established herself in Mount Street. Lady Eustace and Lucy Morris had known each other for many years,--had indeed been children together,--there having been some old family friendship between the Greystocks and the Morrises.

Governess Lucy set against Mount Street widow — honesty cast named before Lizzie monopolizes page — so cast scores 90.

Frank Greystock stayed till the following Monday at Portray, but could not be induced to hunt on the Saturday,--on which day the other sporting men and women went to the meet. He could not, he said, trust to that traitor MacFarlane, and he feared that his friend Mr. Nappie would not give him another mount on the grey horse.

Mid-book dilates on Portray sport while necklace litigation waits — serial dilation before police acceleration — so pace scores 86.

It was admitted by all her friends, and also by her enemies,--who were in truth the more numerous and active body of the two,--that Lizzie Greystock had done very well with herself. We will tell the story of Lizzie Greystock from the beginning, but we will not dwell over it at great length, as we might do if we loved her.

Friends vs enemies admission and withheld love — comic moral prose launching the liar — so prose scores 89.

Before the end of January everybody in London had heard of the great robbery at Carlisle,--and most people had heard also that there was something very peculiar in the matter,--something more than a robbery. Various rumours were afloat. It had become widely known that the diamonds were to be the subject of litigation between the young widow and the trustees of the Eustace estate

Carlisle theft as London rumour plus estate litigation — sensation mapped onto Palliser gossip world — so world scores 90.

It was admitted by all her friends, and also by her enemies,--who were in truth the more numerous and active body of the two,--that Lizzie Greystock had done very well with herself.

Social verdict before biography — widow success as bait — so hook scores 91.

Although the first two chapters of this new history have been devoted to the fortunes and personal attributes of Lady Eustace, the historian begs his readers not to believe that that opulent and aristocratic Becky Sharp is to assume the dignity of heroine in the forthcoming pages.

Anti-heroine named as Becky Sharp while heroinehood withheld — sensation satire inventing its own moral frame — so innov scores 92.

CHAPTER LXXX What Was Said About It All at Matching The Whitsuntide holidays were late this year, not taking place till the beginning of June, and were protracted till the 9th of that month. On the 8th Lizzie and Mr. Emilius became man and wife, and on that same day Lady Glencora Palliser entertained a large company of guests at Matching Priory.

Title of last chapter is Matching talk — marriage sealed, judgment deferred to Palliser chorus — so ending scores 88.