than men are. They are less
shocked by dishonesty when they find it, and are less clear in their
intellect as to that which constitutes honesty. Where is the woman
who thinks it wrong to smuggle? What lady's conscience ever pricked
her in that she omitted the armorial bearings on her silver forks
from her tax papers? What wife ever ceased to respect her husband
because he dealt dishonestly in business? Whereas, let him not go
to church, let him drink too much wine, let him go astray in his
conversation, and her wrath arises against these faults. But this
lack of feminine accuracy in the matter of honesty tends rather to
charity in their judgment of others, than to deeds of fraud on the
part of women themselves.

Miss Mackenzie, who desired nothing that was not her own, who
scrupulously kept her own hands from all picking and stealing, gave
herself no peace, after reading the lawyer's letter, till she was
able to tell herself that Mr Rubb was to be forgiven for what he had
done. After all, he had, no doubt, intended that she should have the
promised security. And had not he himself come to her in London and
told her the whole truth,--or, if not the whole truth, as much of
it as was reasonable to expect that he should be able to tell her
at an evening party after dinner? Of course Mr Slow was hard upon
him. Lawyers always were hard. If she chose to give Messrs Rubb and
Mackenzie two thousand five hundred pounds out of her pocket, what
was that to him? So she went on, till at last she was angry with Mr
Slow for the language he had used.

It was, however, before all things necessary that she should put Mr
Slow right as to the facts of the case. She had, no doubt, condoned
whatever Mr Rubb had done. Mr Rubb undoubtedly had her sanction for
keeping her money without security. Therefore, by return of post, she
wrote the following short letter, which rather astonished Mr Slow
when he received it--

Littlebath, April, 186--.

DEAR SIR,

I am much obliged by your letter about the money; but the
truth is that I have known for some time that there was
to be no mortgage. When I was in town I saw Mr Rubb at my
brother's house, and it was understood between us then
that the matter was to remain as it is. My brother and his
partner are very welcome to the money.

Believe me to be,
Yours sincerely,

MARGARET MACKENZIE.

The letter was a false letter; but I suppose Miss Mackenzie did not