It will be more to the purpose to tell you how he worked himself into my good graces. I was born with the tastes of a lady, and he gratified them⁠—in other words, he admired me, and he made me presents. No woman can resist admiration and presents⁠—especially presents, provided they happen to be just the thing she wants. He was sharp enough to know that⁠—most men are. Naturally he wanted something in return⁠—all men do. And what do you think was the something? The merest trifle. Nothing but the key of the vestry, and the key of the press inside it, when my husband’s back was turned. Of course he lied when I asked him why he wished me to get him the keys in that private way. He might have saved himself the trouble⁠—I didn’t believe him. But I liked my presents, and I wanted more. So I got him the keys, without my husband’s knowledge, and I watched him, without his own knowledge. Once, twice, four times I watched him, and the fourth time I found him out.

I was never over-scrupulous where other people’s affairs were concerned, and I was not over-scrupulous about his adding one to the marriages in the register on his own account.