I had showed her the locket before, but we had it out again now; and she read and read again the writing, while I pointed out how the words fell, and told her I was going away to get the diamond and come back the richest man in all the countryside.
Then she said, 'Ah, John! set not your heart too much upon this diamond.
If what they say is true, 'twas evilly come by, and will bring evil with it.

Even this wicked man durst not spend it for himself, but meant to give it to the poor; so, if indeed you ever find it, keep it not for yourself, but set his soul at rest by doing with it what he meant to do, or it will bring a curse upon you.' I only smiled at what she said, taking it to be a girlish fancy, and did not tell her why I wanted so much to be rich--namely, to marry her one day.

Then, having talked long about my own concerns as selfishly as a man always does, I thought to ask after herself, and what she was going to do.

She told me that a month past lawyers had come to Moonfleet, and pressed her to leave the place, and they would give her in charge to a lady in London, because, said they, her father had died without a will, and so she must be made a ward of Chancery.

But she had begged them to let her be, for she could never live anywhere else than in Moonfleet, and that the air and commodity of the place suited her well.