Of course the coming of Bunfit and the woman would have set the
girl's mind to work in that direction; but then Bunfit and the woman had
only been there on that morning. The Corsair knew the facts, and no one
but the Corsair. That the Corsair was a Corsair the suspicions of the
police had proved to her. She had offered the necklace to the Corsair; but
when so offered he had refused to take it. She could understand that he
should see the danger of accepting the diamonds from her hand, and yet
should be desirous of having them. And might not he have thought that he
could best relieve her from the burden of their custody in this manner?
She felt no anger against the Corsair as she weighed the probability of
his having taken them in this fashion. A Corsair must be a Corsair. Were
he to come to her and confess the deed, she would almost like him the
better for it, admiring his skill and enterprise. But how very clever he
must have been, and how brave! He had known, no doubt, that the three
ladies were all going to the theatre; but in how short a time had he got
rid of the other women and availed himself of the services of Patience
Crabstick!
But in what way would she conduct herself when the police should come to
her on the following morning, the police and all the other people who
would crowd to the house? How should she receive her cousin Frank? How
should she look when the coincidence of the double robbery should be
spoken of in her hearing? How should she bear herself when, as of course
would be the case, she should again be taken before the magistrates, and
made to swear as to the loss of her property? Must she commit more
perjury, with the certainty that various people must know that her oath
was false? All the world would suspect her.
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