The Red Thumb Mark — Richard Austin Freeman

Now this report as you may suppose made me excessively angry and I wanted to have it out with Reuben then and there But Walter refused to sanction this there was no use in making a scene he said and he insisted that the caution was given to me in strict confidence so what was I to do I tried to ignore it and treat Reuben as I always had done but this I found impossible my womanly pride was much too deeply hurt And yet I felt it the lowest depth of meanness to harbour such thoughts of him without giving him the opportunity to defend himself And although it was most unlike Reuben in some respects it was very like him in others for he has always expressed the utmost contempt for men who marry for a livelihood So I have remained on the horns of a dilemma and am there still What do you think I ought to have done