"You needn't mind telling _me_! I know all about such
things.--Look here! Give me that pocket-book on the table."
Mary brought him the pocket-book. He opened it, and, taking from
it some notes, held them out to her.
"If your mistress won't pay you your wages, I will. There! take
that. You're quite welcome. What matter which pays you? It all
comes out of the same stocking-foot."
"I don't know yet," answered Mary, "whether I shall accept wages
from Mrs. Redmain. Something might happen to make it impossible;
or, if I had taken money, to make me regret it."
"I like that! There you keep a hold on her!" said Mr. Redmain, in
a confidential tone, while in his heart he was more puzzled than
ever. "There's no occasion, though, for all that," he went on,
"to go without your money when you can have it and she be nothing
the wiser. There--take it. I will swear you any oath you like not
to tell my stingy wife."
"She is not stingy," said Mary; "and, if I don't take wages from
her, I certainly shall not from any one else.--Besides," she
added, "it would be dishonest."
"Oh! that's the dodge!" said Mr. Redmain to himself; but aloud,
"Where would be the dishonesty, when the money is mine to do with
as I please?"
"Where the dishonesty, sir!" exclaimed Mary, astounded. "To take
wages from you, and pretend to Mrs. Redmain I was going without!"
"Ha! ha! The first time, no doubt, you ever pretended anything!"
"It would be," said Mary, "so far as I can, at the moment,
remember.
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