Youwerealittleboy，Isuppose，intheyeartwenty-seven？Iwasahandsomeyoungwomanatthattime，livingatOldWelmingham。Ihadacontemptiblefoolforahusband。Ihadalsothehonourofbeingacquaintednevermindhowwithacertaingentlemannevermindwhom。Ishallnotcallhimbyhisname。WhyshouldI？Itwasnothisown。Heneverhadaname：youknowthat，bythistime，aswellasIdo。
Itwillbemoretothepurposetotellyouhowheworkedhimselfintomygoodgraces。Iwasbornwiththetastesofalady，andhegratifiedthem——inotherwords，headmiredme，andhemademepresents。Nowomancanresistadmirationandpresents——especiallypresents，providedtheyhappentobejustthethingshewants。Hewassharpenoughtoknowthat——mostmenare。Naturallyhewantedsomethinginreturn——allmendo。
Andwhatdoyouthinkwasthesomething？Themeresttrifle。Nothingbutthekeyofthevestry，andthekeyofthepressinsideit，whenmyhusband’sbackwasturned。OfcourseheliedwhenIaskedhimwhyhewishedmetogethimthekeysinthatprivateway。Hemighthavesavedhimselfthetrouble——Ididn’tbelievehim。ButIlikedmypresents，andIwantedmore。SoIgothimthekeys，withoutmyhusband’sknowledge，andIwatchedhim，withouthisownknowledge。Once，twice，fourtimesIwatchedhim，andthefourthtimeIfoundhimout。
Iwasneverover-scrupulouswhereotherpeople’saffairswereconcerned，andIwasnotover-scrupulousabouthisaddingonetothemarriagesintheregisteronhisownaccount。
OfcourseIknewitwaswrong，butitdidnoharmtome，whichwasonegoodreasonfornotmakingafussaboutit。AndIhadnotgotagoldwatchandchain，whichwasanother，stillbetter——andhehadpromisedmeonefromLondononlythedaybefore，whichwasathird，bestofall。