than usually unpleasant;
and that you had asked him to let you tell us the glad tidings of your
engagement and hasty wedding.

I say "poor Mrs. Ellsworth" because it seems she has been ill since you
left, and has had other misfortunes. The illness is not serious, and I
imagine, now I have heard fuller details of her treatment of you, that
it is merely a liver and nerve attack, the result of temper. If she had
not been confined to bed, and very sorry for herself, I am sure nothing
could have prevented her from writing to us a garbled account of the
quarrel and your departure.

As it turned out, I hear she rang up the household after you went that
night, had hysterics, and sent a servant flying for the doctor. He--a
most inferior person, according to Cousin James--having a sister who is
a trained nurse, put _her_ in charge of the patient at once, where she
has remained since. In consequence of the nurse's tyrannical ways, the
servants gave a day's notice and left in a body.

Three temporary ones were got in as soon as possible from some agency;
and last night (four days, I believe, after they were installed) a
burglary was committed in the house.

Only fancy, _poor Ruthven_! He was afraid to stay even with us in our
quiet house, when he came to London, because once, years ago, we were
robbed! You know how reticent he is about his affairs, and how he never
says anything concerning business. One might think that to _us_ he
would show some of the beautiful jewels he is supposed to buy for the
Van Vrecks.

But no, he never mentions them. We should not have known why he came to
England this time, after a shorter interval than usual, or that he had
valuables in his possession, if it had not been for this burglary. As
he was obliged to talk to the police, and describe to them what had
been stolen from him (I forgot to mention that he as well as Mrs.
Ellsworth was robbed, but you would have guessed that, from my
beginning, even if you haven't read the morning papers before taking up
my letter), there was no reason why, for once, he should not speak
freely to us.

He has been lunching here and has just gone, as I write, but will
transfer himself later to our house, as it has now become unbearable
for him at Mrs. Ellsworth's. I fancy _that_ arrangement has been
brought to an end! Your presence in the _menage_ was the sole
alleviation.

James, it