ory for many years. In
appearance they were described as presenting a striking contrast:
the aggressor, who was 48 years of age, was of masculine air,
tall and thin, with an expression of firm determination on her
wrinkled face; the victim, on the other hand, whose age was 30,
was plump and good-looking and of pleasing disposition. The
reason at first assigned for the attack on the younger woman was
that her mother had insulted the elder woman's son. It appeared,
however, that a close friendship had existed between the two
women, that latterly the younger woman had formed a friendship
with the forewoman of her work-room, and that the elder woman,
animated by jealousy, then resolved to murder both; this design
was frustrated by the accidental absence of the forewoman that
day.

In theaters the abnormal sexuality stimulated by such association in work
is complicated by the general tendency for homosexuality to be connected
with dramatic aptitude, a point to which I shall have to refer later on. I
am indebted to a friend for the following note: "Passionate friendships
among girls, from the most innocent to the most elaborate excursions in
the direction of Lesbos, are extremely common in theaters, both among
actresses and, even more, among chorus-and ballet-girls. Here the
pell-mell of the dressing-rooms, the wait of perhaps two hours between the
performances, during which all the girls are cooped up, in a state of
inaction and of excitement, in a few crowded dressing-rooms, afford every
opportunity for the growth of this particular kind of sentiment. In most
of the theaters there is a little circle of girls, somewhat avoided by the
others, or themselves careless of further acquaintanceship, who profess
the most unbounded devotion to one another. Most of these girls are
equally ready to flirt with the opposite sex, but I know certain ones
among them who will scarcely speak to a man, and who are never seen
without their particular 'pal' or 'chum,' who, if she gets moved to
another theater, will come around and wait for her friend at the
stage-door. But here, again, it is but seldom that the experience is
carried very far. The fact is that the English girl, especially of the
lower and middle classes, whether she has lost her virtue or not, is
extremely fettered by conventional notions. Ignorance and habit are two
restraining influences from the carrying out of this particula