u really? Well, then, it's a good thing as he's found out."

"I am very sorry. He has been with us so long, and we thought him such a
faithful servant."

"You're sorry, are you? Yes, of course you are. Wot are yer goin' to do
with him?"

"We shall not prosecute."

"No, marm, you take my advice, don't yer do that; it wouldn't do nobody
no good."

"We shall discharge him at once."

"Yes, that's all right; but don't you prosecute 'im on no account, mind
that. _Mis-sis_ Furze," said Jim, deliberately, turning his head, and
with his eyes full upon her in a way she did not like, "wot am I a-goin'
to get out of this?"

"Why, you will be repaid, I am sure, by Mr. Furze for all the time and
trouble you have taken."

"Now, marm, I ain't a-goin' to say nothin' as needn't be said, but I know
that Tom's been makin' up to Miss Catharine, and yer know that as soon as
yer found that out yer come and spoke to me. Mind that, marm; it was yer
as come and spoke to me; it wasn't me as spoke first, was it?" Jim was
unusually excited. "And arter yer spoke to me, yer spoke to me agin--agin
I say it--arter I told you as I seed Joe pay the money, and then I
brought yer that ere sovereign."

Mrs. Furze sat down. In one short minute she lived a lifetime, and the
decision was taken which determined her destiny. She resolved that she
would _not_ tread one single step in one particular direction, nor even
look that way. She did not resolve to tell a lie, or, in fact, to do
anything which was not strictly defensible and virtuous. She simply
refused to reflect on the possibility of perjury on Jim's part. Refusing
to reflect on it, she naturally had no proof of it; and, having no proof
of it, she had no ground for believing that she was not perfectly
innocent and upright--a very pretty process, much commoner than perhaps
might be suspected. After the lapse of two or three hours there was in
fact no test by which to distinguish the validity of this belief from
that of her other beliefs, nor indeed, it may be said, from that of the
beliefs in which many people live, and for the sake of which they die.

"It is true, Jim," said Mrs. Furze, after a pause, "that we thought Tom
had so far forgotten himself as to make proposals to Miss Catharine, but
this was a mere coincidence. It is extremely fortunate that we have
discovered just at this moment what he really is; most fortunate. I have
not the least doubt that he is a very bad cha