“In a way, that is a greater loss to her than the failure to obtain possession of the fortune. She loses the opportunity for——â€�
“For everything.�
“Yes, for everything in the social world—her world; the one to which she was born.â€�
“You mistake. She was not born to it.�
“No; but she has always lived in it. You have deprived her of the two things which she has striven all her life to attain—wealth and social prominence.â€�
“On the contrary, she deprived herself of them.�
“That is begging the question. I asked you a little bit ago if you had any idea what she would do now. You replied that the subject did not interest you. It interests me.�
The detective turned a smiling face toward his friend.
“Well,� he said, “have you formed an opinion about it?�
“A very decided one, Nick.�