"What do you think?" asked Maynadier.
"I do not know what to think—except, that one of the guests is the pilferer."
"Pilferer?" said Maynadier. "You are putting it very mild, if the guilty one be a guest. He is a plain thief. I cannot believe it! It must be one of the servants."
"None but the house servants have access to the rooms, and I trust them thoroughly; besides, the thief, to adopt your name, opened my door unbidden, and that, as I said, no servant would have ventured. We are remitted to a guest, sir."
"Have you any suspicions?"
"None, thank God!"
Maynadier looked at him narrowly. "Why do you say, 'thank God!'"
"Because I do not want to suspect. I would rather lose half my fortune, than that a guest, in my house, should be suspected. If I had seen him actually take the money, I should do nothing to apprehend him—nor would I permit his apprehension."
"Why do you say 'him'—why do you think the thief is a man?" asked Maynadier.
"Because I cannot think it a woman. My God! Maynadier, you know these people better than I—could you think one of the women guilty?"