"Rosa," said he, very gravely, "there are two people a woman is mad to
deceive--her husband and her physician. You have deceived both."




CHAPTER X.


I suspect Dr. Staines merely meant to say that she had concealed from
him an alarming symptom for several weeks; but she answered in a hurry,
to excuse herself, and let the cat out of the bag--excuse my vulgarity.

"It was all that Mrs. Vivian's fault. She laughed at me so for not
wearing them; and she has a waist you can span--the wretch!"

"Oh, then, you have been wearing stays clandestinely?"

"Why, you know I have. Oh, what a stupid! I have let it all out."

"How could you do it, when you knew, by experience, it is your death?"

"But it looks so beautiful, a tiny waist."

"It looks as hideous as a Chinese foot, and, to the eye of science, far
more disgusting; it is the cause of so many unlovely diseases."

"Just tell me one thing; have you looked at Mrs. Vivian?"