Part 53 (1/2)
”Stop, stop. I'll tell you all about it. I lost it again. That's the worst of it. I got no good of it.”
”What was it?”
”A sovereign,” she said, with a groan. ”And now I'm a thief, I suppose.”
”No more a thief than you were before. Rather less, I hope. But do you think it would have been any better for you if you hadn't lost it, and had got some good of it, as you say?”
She was silent yet again.
”If you hadn't lost it you would most likely have been a great deal worse for it than you are--a more wicked woman altogether.”
”I'm not a wicked woman.”
”It is wicked to steal, is it not?”
”I didn't steal it.”
”How did you come by it, then?”
”I found it.”
”Did you try to find out the owner?”
”No. I knew whose it was.”
”Then it was very wicked not to return it. And I say again, that if you had not lost the sovereign you would have been most likely a more wicked woman than you are.”
”It was very hard to lose it. I could have given it back. And then I wouldn't have lost my character as I have done this day.”
”Yes, you could; but I doubt if you would.”
”I would.”
”Now, if you had it, you are sure you would give it back?”
”Yes, that I would,” she said, looking me so full in the face that I was sure she meant it.
”How would you give it back? Would you get your husband to take it?”
”No; I wouldn't trust him.”
”With the story, you mean I You do not wish to imply that he would not restore it?”
”I don't mean that. He would do what I told him.”
”How would you return it, then?”
”I should make a parcel of it, and send it.”
”Without saying anything about it?”