The Man Who Kept His Money in a BoxTrollope, Anthony
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The Man Who Kept His Money in a Box
Trollope, Anthony
British -- Europe -- Fiction; Short stories; Travelers -- Fiction
“Do find it, for papa’s sake; there’s a good fellow. He will be so
wretched without his money. I heard him say that he had only two pounds
in his purse.”
“Oh, I can let him have money to go on with,” I answered grandly. And
then I went off to prove that I was a good fellow, and searched
throughout the house. Two white boxes had by order been left downstairs,
as they would not be needed; and these two were in a large cupboard of
the hall, which was used expressly for stowing away luggage. And then
there were three in Mrs. Greene’s bed-room, which had been taken there as
containing the wardrobe which she would require while remaining at
Bellaggio. I searched every one of these myself to see if I could find
the hole in the canvas. But the hole in the canvas was not there. And
let me count as I would, I could make out only six. Now there certainly
had been seven on board the steamer, though I could not swear that I had
seen the seven put into the small boat.
“Mr. Greene,” said the lady standing in the middle of her remaining
treasures, all of which were now open, “you are worth nothing when
travelling. Were you not behind?” But Mr. Greene’s mind was full, and
he did not answer.
“It has been stolen before your very eyes,” she continued.
“Nonsense, mamma,” said Sophonisba. “If ever it came out of the steamer
it certainly came into the house.”
“I saw it out of the steamer,” said Mrs. Greene, “and it certainly is not
in the house. Mr. Robinson, may I trouble you to send for the police?—at
once, if you please, sir.”
I had been at Bellaggio twice before, but nevertheless I was ignorant of
their system of police. And then, again, I did not know what was the
Italian for the word.
“I will speak to the landlord,” I said.
“If you will have the goodness to send for the police at once, I will be
obliged to you.” And as she thus reiterated her command, she stamped
with her foot upon the floor.
“There are no police at Bellaggio,” said Sophonisba.
“What on earth shall I do for money to go on with?” said Mr. Greene,
looking piteously up to the ceiling, and shaking both his hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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