The Eustace Diamonds · Chapter
LXIV: Lizzie's Last Scheme explained
Lizzie, angry and rejected by Lord George, contemplates her next move.
What happens
Lizzie, angry and rejected by Lord George, contemplates her next move. She decides to use Lord Fawn's letter for revenge and schemes to win back Frank Greystock by creating a separation between him and Lucy Morris. She invites Lucy to a meeting, where she falsely claims that Frank loves her and not Lucy, urging Lucy to release him. Lucy, heartbroken but defiant, refuses to believe Lizzie and declares her love for Frank, but leaves feeling that all is lost.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Perjury
Lizzie plans to use Lord Fawn's letter for revenge and reflects on her perjury at Carlisle; she also deceives Lucy about Frank's feelings.
Marriage as Transaction
Lizzie offers her wealth to Frank in exchange for marriage, and Lucy's poverty is cited as a reason the engagement might fail.
Characters to notice
- Lizzie Eustace
Devises a wicked scheme to separate Frank Greystock and Lucy Morris; feels betrayed by Lord George and plans to use Lord Fawn's letter for revenge.
- Lucy Morris
Summoned by Lizzie and subjected to a cruel deception; remains defiant and declares her love for Frank, but leaves believing the engagement is over.
- Frank Greystock
Referenced as the object of Lizzie's scheme and Lucy's love; Lizzie claims he loves her and not Lucy.
- Lord George de Bruce Carruthers
Rejected Lizzie's advances and left her feeling angry and betrayed; she now regards him as a brute.
- Lord Fawn
His letter is to be used by Lizzie for revenge; she expects he will break the engagement once her perjury is exposed.
Key passages
“She thought that if he could see his way out of that scrape, he would marry her even yet—would marry her, and be good to her, so that her dream of a poetical phase of life should not be altogether dissolved.”
Lizzie believes that if Frank could break his engagement with Lucy, he would still marry her and fulfill her romantic ideals.
Reveals Lizzie's self-deception and her view of marriage as a means to achieve a poetic life.
“If in real truth she should be driven to tell her story to anyone—and she began to think that she was so driven—she would tell it to him.”
Lizzie considers confessing her troubles to Frank, whom she trusts more than anyone else.
Highlights Lizzie's reliance on Frank as a confidant despite her manipulative schemes.
“He had not spoken to her one word of love. Love will excuse roughness. Spoken love will palliate even spoken roughness.”
Lizzie feels that Lord George's lack of affectionate words makes his harsh treatment unforgivable.
Illustrates Lizzie's expectation that love should excuse bad behavior, a key aspect of her romantic delusions.
“But if you will give him back his word, he shall be my husband, and shall have all that I possess. Now, let us see who loves him best!”
Lizzie challenges Lucy to prove her love by releasing Frank, offering her own wealth as a counter.
Shows Lizzie's transactional view of love and her attempt to manipulate Lucy through guilt.
“If money be more to him than love and honesty, let him marry you. I shall never trouble him; he may be sure of that.”
Lucy declares that if Frank values wealth over integrity, she will step aside without complaint.
Demonstrates Lucy's moral clarity and her willingness to sacrifice her own happiness for Frank's benefit.
