and the staircase was to be adorned with the most exquisite flowers, as she was absolutely certain baby noticed flowers; and there was to be an aviary somewhere, of the loveliest little birds, as there was not the smallest doubt in the world that baby noticed birds. Was there nothing else? No, John dear. The predilections of the inexhaustible baby being provided for, Bella could think of nothing else.
They were chatting on in this way, and John had suggested, “No jewels for your own wear, for instance?” and Bella had replied laughing. O! if he came to that, yes, there might be a beautiful ivory case of jewels on her dressing-table; when these pictures were in a moment darkened and blotted out.
They turned a corner, and met Mr. Lightwood.
He stopped as if he were petrified by the sight of Bella’s husband, who in the same moment had changed colour.
“ Mr. Lightwood and I have met before,” he said.
“Met before, John?” Bella repeated in a tone of wonder. “ Mr. Lightwood told me he had never seen you.”
“I did not then know that I had,” said Lightwood, discomposed on her account. “I believed that I had only heard of— Mr. Rokesmith.” With an emphasis on the name.
“When Mr. Lightwood saw me, my love,” observed her husband, not avoiding his eye, but looking at him, “my name was Julius Handford.”
Julius Handford! The name that Bella had so often seen in old newspapers, when she was an inmate of Mr. Boffin’s house! Julius Handford, who had been publicly entreated to appear, and for intelligence of whom a reward had been publicly offered!