"Of course I do. If they had belonged to me there wouldn't have been
anything to make a fuss about."

"This," I said, "is one of the most breathless things ever known.
A mere woman, who is unskilled in finance and has only the dimmest
recollection of the rule of three and compound interest, gets the
better of the greatest banking institution in the world to the tune of
one hundred pounds. It's incredible. Of course you've made a mistake."

"That's right," she said. "Always go against your wife and think her
wrong, even when it is only an institution that she's contending
with."

"It's precisely because it is an institution that I doubt your
statement."

"You're not very helpful; you don't tell me whether I'm to sit down
under the burden of owning one hundred pounds of the bank's money that
doesn't belong to me."

"Francesca," I said, "you must calm yourself and tell me as clearly
as possible how you came into possession of this extra hundred pounds
which is apparently burning a hole in your pocket--if indeed you have
a pocket, which I doubt."

"You're quite wrong; I've got two pockets in the dress I'm wearing at
this moment."

"I will not," I said, "discuss with you the number of your pockets.
Now tell me your pathetic story. I am all ears."