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can search my box。〃
〃Mrs。 Staines will not search your box； and you will retire at once
to your own part of the house。〃
〃I'll go farther than that；〃 said she； and soon after the street
door was slammed； the Bijou shook。
At six o'clock next morning； she came for her box。 It had been put
away for safety。 Pearman told her she must wait till the doctor
came down。 She did not wait； but went at eleven A。M。 to a police…
magistrate； and took out a summons against Dr。 Staines； for
detaining a box containing certain articles specifiedvalue under
fifteen pounds。
When Dr。 Staines heard she had been for her box； but left no
address； he sent Pearman to hunt for her。 He could not find her。
She avoided the house； but sent a woman for her diurnal love
letters。 Dr。 Staines sent the woman back to fetch her。 She came；
received her box； her letters； and the balance of her wages； which
was small； for Staines deducted the three weeks' wages。
Two days afterwards； to his surprise； the summons was served。
Out of respect for a court of justice； however humble； Dr。 Staines
attended next Monday to meet the summons。
The magistrate was an elderly man； with a face shaped like a hog's；
but much richer in color； being purple and pimply； so foul a visage
Staines had rarely seen； even in the lowest class of the community。
Clara swore that her box had been opened； and certain things stolen
out of it； and that she had been refused the box next morning。
Staines swore that he had never opened the box； and that； if any
one else had； it was with her consent； for she had left the keys
for that purpose。 He bade the magistrate observe that if a servant
went away like this； and left no address； she put it out of the
master's POWER to send her box after her； and he proved he had some
trouble to force the box on her。
The pig…faced beak showed a manifest leaning towards the servant；
but there wasn't a leg to stand on； and he did not believe； nor was
it credible； that anything had been stolen out of her box。
At this moment； Pearman； sent by Rosa； entered the court with an
old gown of Clara's that had been discovered in the scullery； and a
scribbling…book of the doctor's； which Clara had appropriated； and
written amorous verses in； very superiorin numberto those that
have come down to us from Anacreon。
〃Hand me those；〃 said the pig…faced beak。
〃What are they； Dr。 Staines？〃
〃I really don't know。 I must ask my servant。〃
〃Why； more things of mine that have been detained；〃 said Clara。
〃Some things that have been found since she left；〃 said Staines。
〃Oh！ those that hide know where to find。〃
〃Young woman；〃 said Staines； 〃do not insult those whose bread you
have eaten； and who have given you many presents besides your
wages。 Since you are so ready to accuse people of stealing； permit
me to say that this book is mine； and not yours； and yet； you see；
it is sent after you because you have written your trash in it。〃
The purple； pig…faced beak went instantly out of the record； and
wasted a deal of time reading Clara's poetry； and trying to be
witty。 He raised the question whose book this was。 The girl swore
that it WAS given her by a lady who was now in Rome。 Staines swore
he bought it of a certain stationer； and happening to have his
passbook in his pocket； produced an entry corresponding with the
date of the book。
The pig…faced beak said that the doctor's was an improbable story；
and that the gown and the book were quite enough to justify the
summons。 Verdict； one guinea costs。
〃What； because two things she never demanded have been found and
sent after her？ This is monstrous。 I shall appeal to your
superiors。〃
〃If you are impertinent I'll fine you five pounds。〃
〃Very well； sir。 Now hear me： if this is an honest judgment； I
pray God I may be dead before the year's out； and； if it isn't； I
pray God you may be。〃
Then the pig…faced beak fired up； and threatened to fine him for
blaspheming。
He deigned no reply； but paid the guinea； and Clara swept out of
the court； with a train a yard long； and leaning on the arm of a
scarlet soldier who avenged Dr。 Staines with military promptitude。
Christopher went home raging internally； for hitherto he had never
seen so gross a case of injustice。
One of his humble patients followed him； and said； 〃I wish I had
known； sir； you shouldn't have come here to be insulted。 Why； no
gentleman can ever get justice against a servant girl when HE is
sitting。 It is notorious； and that makes these hussies so bold。
I've seen that jade here with the same story twice afore。〃
Staines reached home more discomposed than he could have himself
believed。 The reason was that barefaced injustice in a court of
justice shook his whole faith in man。 He opened the street door
with his latch…key； and found two men standing in the passage。 He
inquired what they wanted。
〃Well； sir；〃 said one of them； civilly enough； 〃we only want our
due。〃
〃For what？〃
〃For goods delivered at this house； sir。 Balance of account。〃 And
he handed him a butcher's bill； L88； 11s。 5 1/2d。
〃You must be mistaken； we run no bills here。 We pay ready money
for everything。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 said the butcher； 〃there have been payments； but the
balance has always been gaining； and we have been put off so often；
we determined to see the master。 Show you the books； sir； and
welcome。〃
〃This instant； if you please。〃 He took the butcher's address； who
then retired； and the other tradesman； a grocer； told him a similar
tale； balance； sixty pounds odd。
He went to the butcher's； sick at heart； inspected the books； and
saw that； right or wrong； they were incontrovertible； that debt had
been gaining slowly； but surely； almost from the time he confided
the accounts to his wife。 She had kept faith with him about five
weeks； no more。
The grocer's books told a similar tale。
The debtor put his hand to his heart； and stood a moment。 The very
grocer pitied him； and said； 〃There's no harry； doctor； a trifle on
account； if settlement in full not convenient just now。 I see you
have been kept in the dark。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Christopher； 〃I'll pay every shilling。〃 He gave one
gulp； and hurried away。
At the fishmonger's； the same story； only for a smaller amount。
A bill of nineteen pounds at the very pastrycook's； a place she had
promised him； as her physician； never to enter。
At the draper's； thirty…seven pounds odd。
In short； wherever she had dealt； the same system： partial
payments； and ever…growing debt。
Remembering Madame Cie； he drove in a cab to Regent Street； and
asked for Mrs。 Staines's account。
〃Shall I send it； sir？〃
〃No； I will take it with me。〃
〃Miss Edwards； make out Mrs。 Staines's account； if you please。〃
Miss Edwards was a good while making it out； but it was ready at
last。 He thrust it into his pocket； without daring to look at it
there； but he went into Verrey's； and asked for a cup of coffee；
and perused the document。
The principal items were as follows：
L s。
May 4。 Re…shaping and repairing elegant lace mantle； 1 8
Chip bonnet； feather； and flowers 。 。 。 。 4 4
May 20。 Making and trimming blue silk dressmaterial
part found 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 19 19
Five yards rich blue silk to match。 。 。 。 4 2
June 1。 Polonaise and jacket trimmed with lace
material part found 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 17 17
June 8。 One black silk dress； handsomely trimmed
with jet guipure and lace 。 。 。 。 。 。 49 18
A few shreds and fragments of finery； bought at odd times； swelled
the bill to L99 11s。 6d。not to terrify the female mind with three
figures。
And let no unsophisticated young lady imagine that the trimmings；
which constituted three…fourths of this bill； were worth anything。
The word 〃lace；〃 in Madame Cie's bill； invariably meant machine…
made trash； worth tenpence a yard； but charged eighteen shillings a
yard for one pennyworth of work in putting it on。 Where real lace
was used； Madame Cie always LET HER CUSTOMERS KNOW IT。 Miss
Lucas's bill for this year contained the two following little
items：
L s。
Rich gros de cecile polonaise and jacket to match；
trimmed with Chantilly lace and valenciennes 。 。 。 68 5
Superb robe de chambre； richly trimmed with skunk fur。 40 0
The customer found the stuff； viz。； two shawls。 Carolina found the
nasty little pole…cats； and got twenty…four shillings for them；
Madame Cie found THE REST。
But Christopher Staines had not Miss Lucas's bill to compare his
wife's with。 He could only compare the latter with their income；
and with male notions of common sense and reason。
He went home； and into his studio； and sat down on his hard beech
chair； he looked round on his books and his work； and then； for the
first time； remembered how long and how patiently he had toiled for
every hundred pounds he had made； and he laid the evidences of his
wife's profusion and deceit by the side of those signs of painful
industry and self…de