"You've heard of people's having a dishonest monomania. Don't you
remember the case of Mrs. Y----?"
"Very well."
"She had every thing that heart could desire. Her husband was rich,
and let her have as much money as she wanted. I wish we could all
say that, Mrs. Florence, don't you?"
"It would be very pleasant, certainly, to have as much money as we
wanted."
"But, notwithstanding all this, Mrs. Y---- had such a propensity to
take things not her own, that she never went into a dry goods store
without purloining something, and rarely took tea with a friend
without slipping a teaspoon into her pocket. Mr. Y---- had a great
deal of trouble with her, and, in several cases, paid handsomely to
induce parties disposed to prosecute her for theft, to let the
matter drop. Now do you know that it has occurred to me that,
perhaps, Mrs. Comegys is afflicted in this way? I shouldn't at all
wonder if it were so."
"Hardly."
"I'm afraid it is as I suspect. A number of suspicious circumstances
have happened when she has been about, that this would explain. But
for your life, Mrs. Florence, don't repeat this to any mortal!"
"I shall certainly not speak of it, Mrs.
Pages:
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312