Two weeks out of the three, Sir Lemuel Levison remained in town to give his daughter and her chaperon an opportunity of getting up as good a trousseau as could be prepared in so short a time. But jewellers, milliners, and dressmakers may be hurried as well as lawyers, when they are well paid to make haste. And so, in two weeks, the banker's heiress, the future Marchioness of Arondelle and Duchess of Hereward, had a trousseau as magnificent and splendid as if it had been in preparation for two years. When it was all carefully packed and sent down to Lone, Sir Lemuel Levison and his household prepared to follow.
On the day before their departure a very curious thing happened.
Sir Lemuel was waiting in his library, when a footman entered and laid a card before him. It was not a visiting card, but a business card. And it bore the name of a firm:
Dazzle and Sparkle, jewellers, Number Blank, Bond street.
"What is the meaning of this?" inquired the banker.
"If you please, sir, the person who brought it directed me to say, that he craves to speak with you on the most important business," answered the man.
"Important to himself most likely, and not in the least so to me. Well, show him up," said Sir Lemuel.
The servant withdrew and, after a few moments, reappeared and announced:
"Mr. Dazzle, of Dazzle and Sparkle, Bond street."
A little, round-bodied, bald-headed man entered the library.