Dangerous Dilemmas: Startling but True

by James Anderson Peddie

"Is that all? Keeping it up to the end—going to the theatre?"

"Yes, will you come? I have a box; I am taking Mr. and Mrs. Murray."

"I am engaged this evening, and after what you have disclosed to me I would not feel comfortable. Take the glasses, and go your wicked way."

Before I saw those glasses again a dreadful calamity occurred. The Theatre Royal to which my friend and Mrs. Murray went was burned down, and many lives were lost. It was impossible to recognize the charred bodies, but as they were never seen again the presumption was that the two lovers perished in the flames. A pair of opera glasses much damaged by fire were shown to me by the Procurator Fiscal, and I proved by the initial that they were my property. I need not say that I carefully preserved them. Poor Murray, who did not accompany his wife, became distracted over his loss, and only lived two or three years after her unfortunate death. She was an exceedingly pretty and amiable lady, and however much her affection for my friend was to be deplored, no one could help feeling sorry for her frightful end.

It was found after the disaster that Graham's affairs were in a helpless state, and when a balance sheet was drawn up it was seen that the estate would not pay more than sixpence in the pound. He had displayed immense ability in tiding over from time to time the difficulties which were ultimately bound to ruin him. We had been schoolfellows together, and the friendship formed in those happy days ended only with his life.

I was always afraid his daring speculations would bring him to grief—he was in such a hurry to get rich. Montaigne informs us that, if you look carefully for it, you will discover there is some consolation to be derived even from the death of a dear friend.

In some respects the sudden termination of the two lives was a blessing—the honour of Mrs. Murray remained inviolate, at least so far as the public knew, and Graham was saved a world of trouble with his exasperated creditors. Good and evil are so mixed together in this world of ours that it is impossible to keep them apart.

If my readers will turn to the papers of that day they will find all the particulars of the burning of the theatre and a list of the persons that perished, for "taking a mean advantage of fire" is, with the exception of the names, a faithful record of what actually happened.