by common housebreakers. It was then discovered that a large purse of
gold, and a diamond cross, which the escritoire contained, were gone.
And a few articles of ornamental /bijouterie/ which I had retained from
the wreck of my former profusion in such baubles, and which were kept in
a room below stairs, were also missing. The circumstances immediately
confirmed the opinion of those who threw the guilt upon vulgar and
mercenary villains, and a very probable and plausible supposition was
built on this hypothesis. Might not this Oswald, at best an adventurer
with an indifferent reputation, have forged this story of the packet in
order to obtain admission into the house, and reconnoitre, during the
confusion of a wedding, in what places the most portable articles of
value were stowed? A thousand opportunities, in the opening and
shutting of the house-doors, would have allowed an ingenious villain to
glide in; nay, he might have secreted himself in my own room, and seen
the place where I had put the packet: certain would he then be that I
had selected for the repository of a document I believed so important
that place where all that I most valued was secured; and hence he would
naturally resolve to break open the escritoire, above all other places,
which, to an uninformed robber, might have seemed not only less exposed
to danger, but equally likely to contain articles of value. The same
confusion which enabled him to enter and conceal himself would have also
enabled him to withdraw and introduce his accomplice. This notion was
rendered probable by his insisting so strongly on my not opening the
packet within a certain time; had I opened it immediately, I might have
perceived that a deceit had been practised, and not have hoarded it in
that place of security which it was the villain's object to discover.
Hence, too, in opening the escritoire, he would naturally retake the
packet (which other plunderers might not have cared to steal), as well
as things of more real price,--naturally retake it, in order that his
previous imposition might not be detected, and that suspicion might be