Page:Magdalen by J S Machar.pdf/117

 still in their cribs,—in short, their friendship became a byword, Then the judge was made a councillor in some district court. Their friendship continued. The doctor’s wife and the burgomistress wrote daily letters to the wife of the councillor. So it went on for two or three years.

“The councillor’s wife died. The councillor, who was a wag and a malicious old satyr, sent the two friends a large box in remembrance of his wife. They called together a few young women, and opened it, sighing and sobbing all the time. There were two packages within, with the inscriptions: ‘For the burgomistress,’ ‘For the doctoress.’ The ladies were divided into two groups. The packages were carefully opened: within were letters, nothing but letters! Those which the burgomistress had written to the wife of the councillor were now given to the doctoress, and vice versa! Do not ask me how that scene ended! It is