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…denial； and his soul filled with bitterness。
〃Deceit！ deceit！〃
Mrs。 Staines heard he was in the house； and came to know about the
trial。 She came hurriedly in； and caught him with his head on the
table； in an attitude of prostration； quite new to him； he raised
his head directly he heard her； and revealed a face； pale； stern；
and wretched。
〃Oh！ what is the matter now？〃 said she。
〃The matter is what it has always been； if I could only have seen
it。 You have deceived me； and disgraced yourself。 Look at those
bills。〃
〃What bills？ Oh！〃
〃You have had an allowance for housekeeping。〃
〃It wasn't enough。〃
〃It was plenty； if you had kept faith with me； and paid ready
money。 It was enough for the first five weeks。 I am housekeeper
now； and I shall allow myself two pounds a week less； and not owe a
shilling either。〃
〃Well； all I know is； I couldn't do it： no woman could。〃
〃Then； you should have come to me； and said so； and I would have
shown you how。 Was I in Egypt； or at the North Pole； that you
could not find me； to treat me like a friend？ You have ruined us：
these debts will sweep away the last shilling of our little
capital； but it isn't that； oh； no！ it is the miserable deceit。〃
Rosa's eye caught the sum total of Madame Cie's bill； and she
turned pale。 〃Oh； what a cheat that woman is！〃
But she turned paler when Christopher said； 〃That is the one honest
bill； for I gave you leave。 It is these that part us： these！
these！ Look at them； false heart！ There； go and pack up your
things。 We can live here no longer； we are ruined。 I must send
you back to your father。〃
〃I thought you would； sooner or later；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； panting；
trembling； but showing a little fight。 〃He told you I wasn't fit
to be a poor man's wife。〃
〃An honest man's wife； you mean： that is what you are not fit for。
You will go home to your father； and I shall go into some humble
lodging to work for you。 I'll contrive to keep you； and find you a
hundred a year to spend in dressthe only thing your heart can
really love。 But I won't have an enemy here in the disguise of a
friend； and I won't have a wife about me I must treat like a
servant； and watch like a traitor。〃
The words were harsh； but the agony with which they were spoken
distinguished them from vulgar vituperation。
They overpowered poor Rosa； she had been ailing a little some time；
and from remorse and terror； coupled with other causes； nature gave
way。 Her lips turned white； she gasped inarticulately； and； with a
little piteous moan； tottered； and swooned dead away。
He was walking wildly about； ready to tear his hair； when she
tottered； he saw her just in time to save her； and laid her gently
on the floor； and kneeled over her。
Away went anger and every other feeling but love and pity for the
poor； weak creature that； with all her faults； was so lovable and
so loved。
He applied no remedies at first： he knew they were useless and
unnecessary。 He laid her head quite low； and opened door and
window； and loosened all her dress； sighing deeply all the time at
her condition。
While he was thus employed； suddenly a strange cry broke from him：
a cry of horror； remorse； joy； tenderness； all combined： a cry
compared with which language is inarticulate。 His swift and
practical eye had made a discovery。
He kneeled over her； with his eyes dilating and his hands clasped；
a picture of love and tender remorse。
She stirred。
Then he made haste； and applied his remedies； and brought her
slowly back to life； he lifted her up； and carried her in his arms
quite away from the bills and things； that； when she came to； she
might see nothing to revive her distress。 He carried her to the
drawing…room； and kneeled down and rocked her in his arms； and
pressed her again and again gently to his heart； and cried over
her。 〃O my dove； my dove！ the tender creature God gave me to love
and cherish； and have I used it harshly？ If I had only known！ if I
had only known！〃
While he was thus bemoaning her； and