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