The record-union., 1891-11-14
A VERY PECULIAR CASE.


the germs of some dire disease lurking
within them, was totally ignorant that
there was anything the matter with me.
| had never been i'll since my boyhood,
consequently had never consulted doc
tor. Whether, if / had, he would have
discovered my malady before L did, l
know not; but it is doubtful, seeing that
it certainly must be wholly unusual, ii
not unique case, at any rate, in the way l
found it out for myself. This phase of it
alone appears so peculiar and incredible
that l conceive it must have opened a
new field for speculation among the
pathologists, psychologists, or whatever
the special ologists are who study these
matters.
At the time it happened-thirty years
ago-I was bachelor living in draw
ing-room communicating by folding
doors with the bedroom behind it, not a
hundred miles from the Regent Circus.
None OF the furniture was my own save
one or two easy chairs, a writing table
and rather shabby, dilapidated old bu-
reau or escr1tolre-a relic OF my great
grandtather's, [ believe, and preserved
by me as representing pretty nearly all
the property l ever inherited. 1t stood
III the darkest corner of the sitting-room,
though near one of two long French win
dows. ] seldom went to it. using its nu-
merous drawers, pigeon holes, etc, only
as receptacles for old receipts, bills, pa
pers and a few odd accumulations of no
value, which, for some reasons, [ did not
wish to destroy. The key to its circular
top l had, with reprehensible careless
ness in such matters, mislaid for weeks.
This gave me no concern. could look
for it when ] wanted it, that was enough.
Other dodgers were in the house, which
was kept by retired butler and his wife
who, with three servants, attended on
the inmates.
A young mans life in London, without
his being the least unsteady, frequently
involves him in late hours when he has a
large circle Of acquaintances. 1t was SO
with me, especially during one particu-
lar season. Operas, theaters, supperS and
dances crowded SO thick and fast upon
each other that for nights together
never had more than three or four hours
in bcd-alWays having to be up early.
Then, by degrees, when / could turn in
in reasonable time, could not sleep, and
on this account, even the thought of q
long night in bed gradually became ter
rOr to me. The TACT is, my nervous syS-
tenn was becoming thoroughly unstrung,
though at the time did not know what
that meant; certainly [ never thought of
it as an illness, and equally certain should
have secuted any idea of seeking advice
about it. / know better now; but let me
not anticipate, only, it should be added,
that l periodically had some very volu
mlnOuS and Important private CORE
spondence to attend to. By that perver-
sity which frequently seems to regulate
these affairs, this often fell out when
was most busy in the day and when din
ners and parties were most numerous in
the evening. Never choosing to sacrifice
pleasure for business, but always striv-
ing to combine the two, L would go at my
letters when l came home, however late
and tired, if not sleepy. Then, to screw
myself up to the work | would tie a wet
towel round my head, stick pipe in my
mouth and brew myself cup of strong
tea. Thus l often wrote far into the
night. AS matter of course, after bout
of this kind l never went to sleep at all
l arose unrefreshed, fevered, nervous
and irritable. A cup of tea and a slice of
toast were substituted for the hearty
breakfast of yore, | could not eat until
luncheon; only toward evening did
feel at all myself and so late hours became
habitual.
In addition, another thing was worry
ing me greatly. For the past month or
more 1 felt convinced that was being
robbed. l did not possess much jewelry,
but I was constantly missing certain little
trinketS and small articles. Among 9TH
ers silver matchbox, large crocodile
leather, gold-mounted cigar case, a pair
of gold sleeve links, small locket con-
tanning some Of my mothers and fathers
hair, set of studs, pearl breastpin and
the like. Also pocket letter or card
case, which I we'll knew contained two
81 Scotch bank notes-unuSual money,
not easily forgotten. 1 felt sure that with
every allowance for careless habits, these
and many other similar objects had van
iShed in the most uuaccOuntable way
Search high and low as I would, they
were not to be found anywhere in nay
room.
l had lived there nearly two years
when this Vexation began, and l knew
not whom to suspect. 1t was horribly
awkward and most unpleasant. The
landlord and his wife bore unimpeacha-
bic characters, and 1 could never have
looked either of them in the face again
had [ breathed the taintest suspicion of
their honesty. Three other men, two Of
whom / knew slightly, were lodging in
the house, as | have said but as TO sus-
pecting them of this petty larceny the
idea was out OF the question. No, tmust
be one of the servants. But which? One
of the three was lad of 10. He was a
newcomer, truly. The two women were
in the house when l took up my quarters
there-respectab elderly parties.'
did not know what to do for the best.
To lock up the rooms was impossible, and
even to do the same with all my drawers
writing-table wardrobe, etc. now. after
never having previously turned a key on
anything, would be at once to cast a slur
on the establishment. Besides, l never
could tell exactly when | missed this or
that article, because, as l repeat, my
careless ways had often led me to imagine
that had lost thing when L had merely
miSlaid it.
Presently the idea occurred to me that
eign purse in a corner drawer of the
dressing table, whence l could declare
many trinkets and ValuableS had been
purloined, but there it remained. /
shifted it, partially covered IL with other
things as If by accident, or as if it had
been forgotten. Yet it was always forth
coming whenever l looked. / put soli-
tary sovereign on a corner of the mantel-
piece; the hOusemaid twice drew my at
tention to the fact that the coin was lying
there. No, nothing that l ever placed as
a bait disappeared. The depredat;ons
were confined to such objects as l hadn't
been thinking about until [ wanted
them.
1 hesitated, as 1 nave said. to tell my
landlord, SO l now determined to consult
Scotland Yard, for, during the sleepless
nights, which, as the London season
waned, grew longer, this subject assumed
far greater importance than it did in the
day. 1t became an intolerable night
mare; and I would sometimes get out of
bed and search for any object l might
suddenly remember had not seen for a
long while. Sometimes | found it, some
times l did not; sometimes l never set
my eyes on it again-it was clean gone.
Indeed, at last il was in this way, and at
these untimely hours, that discovered
most of my losses. Thus, what with
them and my sleeplessness, [ grew quite
detected; but l entirely refused to think
myself i'll. 1t absolutely never occurred
to, I I'D der 70, n,nd