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IV
Lastnight,however,therewasanattemptmadetobreak-intothebranchoftheBankofEngland,andweareallinaflutterinconsequence.Parkenson,themanager,isanintimatefriendofmine,andIfoundhimverymuchexcitedwhenIwalkedroundthereafterbreakfast.Hadthethievesbrokenintothecounting-house,theywouldstillhavehadthesafestoreckonwith,sothatthedefencewasconsiderablystrongerthantheattack.Indeed,thelatterdoesnotappeartohaveeverbeenveryformidable.Twoofthelowerwindowshavemarksasifachiselorsomesuchinstrumenthadbeenpushedunderthemtoforcethemopen.Thepoliceshouldhaveagoodclue,forthewood-workhadbeendonewithgreenpaintonlythedaybefore,andfromthesmearsitisevidentthatsomeofithasfounditswayontothecriminal’shandsorclothes.4.30P.M.Ah,thataccursedwoman!Thatthriceaccursedwoman!Nevermind!Sheshallnotbeatme!No,sheshallnot!But,oh,theshe-devil!Shehastakenmyprofessorship.Nowshewouldtakemyhonor.IstherenothingIcandoagainsther,nothingsave——Ah,but,hardpushedasIam,Icannotbringmyselftothinkofthat!ItwasaboutanhouragothatIwentintomybedroom,andwasbrushingmyhairbeforetheglass,whensuddenlymyeyeslituponsomethingwhichleftmesosickandcoldthatIsatdownupontheedgeofthebedandbegantocry.ItismanyalongyearsinceIshedtears,butallmynervewasgone,andIcouldbutsobandsobinimpotentgriefandanger.