'And so surely as I find it is yours, I'll set the police in pursuit.'
'But you must not bring me into court,' said I, half amused and half alarmed.
'No occasion, my dear; Mary Quince and Mrs. Rusk can prove it perfectly.'
'And why do you dislike her so very much?' I asked.
Cousin Monica leaned back in her chair, and searched the cornice from corner to corner with upturned eyes for the reason, and at last laughed a little, amused at herself.
'Well, really, it is not easy to define, and, perhaps, it is not quite charitable; but I know I hate her, and I know, you little hypocrite, you hate her as much as I;' and we both laughed a little.
'But you must tell me all you know of her history.'
'Her history?' echoed she. 'I really know next to nothing about it; only that I used to see her sometimes about the place that Georgina mentions, and there were some unpleasant things said about her; but you know they may be all lies. The worst I know of her is her treatment of you, and her robbing the desk'—(Cousin Monica always called it her robbery)—'and I think that's enough to hang her. Suppose we go out for a walk?'
So together we went, and I resumed about Madame; but no more could I extract—perhaps there was not much more to hear.