按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with passing show； around a pivot from which she regarded it as existing only for what it meant for her career。 These qualities have led to her statements； and perhaps to the actual feelings； that she was the aggrieved one； and had been badly treated on many occasions。 This seemed to reach almost paranoidal heights at times； and yet； before passing judgment on this； one should be in position to know； what probably will never be known； namely； the actual facts of her earliest treatment。 Occasionally Inez showed most unreasonable bad temper and obstinacy。 This only came out when she was asked to do things which she considered occupationally beneath her。 In general she felt herself much above the ordinary run of people。 When she could be patronizing； as with children； she acted quite the grand lady。 Indeed； in asserting herself on numerous occasions she has assumed just this attitude； which is all the more strange because our further information shows that it was not justified by any social station which her family ever held。
Going further with psychological considerations it is to be asserted that Inez showed marked lack of normal apperceptive ability in not appreciating the necessarily unfavorable results of her own lying。 For that matter； she also fails to learn by experience； for very frequently she has suffered from her own prevarications。 It might； however； be argued that to Inez the thought of a possible hum…drum future in which there was no adventure； no roving； and no playing the part of a successful personality； was a worse choice than that of lying； which might and； indeed； often did serve the purpose of making friends with people； who otherwise would not have entertained her。 So one could hardly judge her deficient even in this particular。 （Of the character of her lying and the special observations on that point more later。）
We found Inez； then； neither mentally defective nor insane。 To even say that she was without moral sense would be beyond the mark； for in many ways she showed great appreciation of the best types of behavior。 Her peculiarities verging on the abnormal are； however； undoubted； they render her a socially pernicious person。 They are to be summed up in terms of what we have discussed above； namely； her excessive egoism； her faulty judgment or apperceptions； her astounding tendency to falsification。
Inez was next heard from in Iowa where she wrote that two doctors had pronounced upon her case and said an operation was again imperative。 She asked her recently made friend for permission to have this done； and also for 150 to cover expenses。 Neither； of course； was forthcoming； on the grounds of there being no guardianship。 （Her age was then unknown。） Inez wrote； ‘‘I just thought I was compelled by law to let you know of my whereabouts； for I understood I could do nothing without your consent。'' In the same letter； replete with other lies； Inez asks； ‘‘Please forgive me now for all my willfulness and wrongdoing。 I will do my best never to do it again； and Oh！ I do so want to be good so that you may feel proud of me some day in the near future。''
A month or so later this friend was called up by the director of a religious home for girls in Chicago； who stated that Inez had just come to them and had been taken seriously ill。 Advice was given to discount her symptoms； but she was sent once more to a hospital。 Here she produced more blood as if from a pulmonary hemorrhage and more symptoms were recounted； but the doctors decided after careful examination that she was falsifying。 Her illness ceased the minute she was told to leave the hospital。 Matters were serious； for Inez was now without home； money； or relatives。 She was once more taken under protection and greater effort was made to trace her family。 They were discovered through letters containing remittances sent by Inez herself from Iowa； after years of silence。 Much of her career was soon brought to light。 By this time； we may note； several observers had insisted that from a commonsense standpoint the girl certainly was insane。
While affairs were being looked up； Inez conferred with us from time to time。 She started by telling a thoroughly good story； the general import of which was the same as she told months previously； but there were differences in many details。 In the first place she still insisted she was 17 years old and gave us an exact date as her birthday this was in response to the mild suggestion that she might be considerably older。 Since her letters； although showing very good choice of words； were incorrectly punctuated； we inquired further about her education。 She said she had received 18 credits in a noted girls' seminary in the south； but later reversed this and stated she had very little education。 She told us her experiences of the last few months when she had been introducing literary works in the towns of Iowa。 She had done well for a beginner at this； we found from other sources； but had made misrepresentations and had talked too freely； against her employers' wishes and advice。 Finally she had sent in forged orders。 This was quite unnecessary； for her salary was assured and sufficient； and her employers had regarded her as an extremely promising representative。 In Iowa she was receiving mail under two different names； she still found it convenient to represent herself sometimes as Agnes W。 In her peregrinations she had again made close friends with some substantial people； who found out； however； in short order that she was untruthful； and her chances with them were at once spoiled。
In the next weeks； when under observation； Inez varied her story from time to time even with the same persons。 She was now 17 and now 19 years old。 She had an operation first in one town and then it was in another。 Her antecedents in many particulars varied from time to time。 Inez seemed to have lost her desire or ability to be consistent； and in particular appeared to have no conception of the effect upon the adjustment of her own case which her continual lying was likely to have。 （At this time again some non…professional observers insisted strenuously that Inez was insane。 They based their opinion upon the fact that she showed so little apperceptive ability； so little judgment in relating the results of her continual lying to its necessary effect upon her career。） It requires too much space to go over the complicated details of her many stories； but some of her expressions and behavior are worth noting。
We always found Inez most friendly； sometimes voluble； and she ever dealt with us in a lady…like manner。 Again we noted that many a society woman would give much for her well modulated voice and powers of verbal expression。 Without any suggestion of melodrama she would rise to strong passages in giving vent to her feelings of indignation and ambition。 At this time we were still wondering where she could have obtained her education； it was not until later that we comprehended that her abilities represented sheer native traits。
She first came to us much hurt because a certain official had warned her； after one of her simulating episodes in a hospital； never to deceive again。 ‘‘My tr