Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/118

120 the door was closed, and I heard the carriage rattling over the streets as they drove away.

"That evening Mrs. D. told her husband she did not like the new coachman, and would rather he would get another, but Mr. D. had taken a fancy to him, and asked his wife to give him a trial of a few weeks. I supposed she disliked saying anything to her husband of her former knowledge of the man. A few weeks passed, and my lady said nothing more to her husband concerning the man's dismissal, and I noticed that she appeared more fond of riding than heretofore, and no matter how disagreeable the weather, never missed a single day in going out, when she was not unwell. She now began frequently to complain of sickness, and was continually sending for medicines, or such delicacies as sick people generally crave, and James, although a man servant was kept in the house, was always sent on these errands, and would take the things, himself, to her room.

"It was now a season of the year when the business of Mr. D. required that he should be absent from the city a great portion of the time. Mrs. D. during his absence, was generally confined to her room, and one night would let no one sit up with her during the early part of the evening, but James. This caused a great deal of talk among the servants, and it soon began to be whispered about among the neighbors, until it finally reached Mr. D.'s ears.

"No one could tell by his manner that he had heard the slightest rumor against his wife; if possible, he seemed more kind to her than usual. 'He was compelled,' as he said, 'unexpectedly, to leave New York that evening, on important business;' and