with an intellect that set good and evil in their places and soared,
by native instinct, above both. What I discovered in her was an
attitude of mind so inquiring and so lawless, so utterly devoid of
any familiar prejudice or mother-taught opinion, that I felt as the
finder of a priceless jewel unstained by earth or heaven. Her
intellect was pure and not vitiated by any superstition; she
revealed a healthy thirst for experience; she adored me and my
attitude to life. We made fascinating voyages of discovery into each
others' hearts; we experimented from time to time on ordinary
people; and we quickly discovered that we both possessed rare
histrionic ability.

Indeed she had already entertained ambitions for the stage; but
though her dead father would hardly have stood in her way, these
ambitions were not encouraged by the three dolts, her uncles, who
now supposed themselves to control her future. A glorious actress is
lost to the world in my wife.

She had no secrets from me and I soon learned of her expectations;
but it was not the prospect of the Redmayne money that shortened her
uncles' lives. Jenny and I were never man-eaters; and, while my
youthful experience in murder attracted her and increased her
admiration for my qualities, it was not at that time in our minds
to anticipate events or quarrel with her relations.

Her grandfather still lived, when first I met her, and the extent or
disposition of his wealth seldom entered our calculations. For we
were then far too much in love to ponder the value of money, and our
temperaments proved so distinguished that no sordid calculation ever
wasted a moment of our time.