a simpleton-第14章

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face　I　have　behaved　very　ill：　pray　forgive　me。〃

And　with　this　she　turned　on　the　waters　of　the　Nile；　better　known　to
you；　perhaps；　as　〃crocodile　tears。〃

Falcon　was　a　gentleman　on　the　surface；　and　knew　he　should　only　make
matters　worse　by　quarrelling　with　her。　　So　he　ground　his　teeth；　and
said；　〃May　your　own　heart　never　feel　the　pangs　you　have　inflicted。
I　shall　love　you　and　remember　you　till　my　dying　day。〃

He　bowed　ceremoniously　and　left　her。

〃Ay；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃I　WILL　remember　you；　you　heartless　jilt；
and　the　man　you　have　jilted　me　for。　　Staines　is　his　dd　name；　is
it？〃

He　drove　back　crestfallen；　bitter；　and；　for　once　in　his　life；
heart…sick；　and　drew　up　at　his　lodgings。　　Here　he　found　attendants
waiting　to　receive　him。

A　sheriff's　officer　took　his　dogcart　and　horse　under　a　judgment；
the　disturbance　this　caused　collected　a　tiny　crowd；　gaping　and
grinning；　and　brought　Phoebe's　white　face　and　eyes　swollen　with
weeping　to　the　window。

Falcon　saw　her　and　brazened　it　out。　　〃Take　them；〃　said　he；　with　an
oath。　　〃I'll　have　a　better　turn…out　by　to…morrow；　breakfast…time。〃

The　crowd　cheered　him　for　his　spirit。

He　got　down；　lit　a　cigar；　chaffed　the　officer　and　the　crowd；　and
was；　on　the　whole；　admired。

Then　another　officer；　who　had　been　hunting　him　in　couples　with　the
other；　stepped　forward　and　took　HIM；　for　the　balance　of　a　judgment
debt。

Then　the　swell's　cigar　fell　out　of　his　mouth；　and　he　was　seriously
alarmed。　　〃Why；　Cartwright；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　too　bad。　　You
promised　not　to　see　me　this　month。　　You　passed　me　full　in　the
Strand。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　sir；〃　said　Cartwright；　with　sullen　irony。　　〃I've
got　a　twin…brother；　a　many　takes　him　for　me；　till　they　finds　the
difference。〃　　Then；　lowering　his　voice；　〃What　call　had　you　to　boast
in　your　club　you　had　made　it　right　with　Bill　Cartwright；　and　he'd
never　see　you？　　That　got　about；　and　so　I　was　bound　to　see　you　or
lose　my　bread。　　There's　one　or　two　I　don't　see；　but　then　they　are
real　gentlemen；　and　thinks　of　me　as　well　as　theirselves；　and
doesn't　blab。〃

〃I　must　have　been　drunk；〃　said　Falcon　apologetically。　　〃More　likely
blowing　a　cloud。　　When　you　young　gents　gets　a…smoking　together；
you'd　tell　on　your　own　mothers。　　Come　along；　colonel；　off　we　go　to
Merrimashee。〃

〃Why；　it　is　only　twenty…six　pounds。　　I　have　paid　the　rest。〃

〃More　than　that；　there's　the　costs。〃

〃Come　in；　and　I'll　settle　it。〃

〃All　right；　sir。　　Jem；　watch　the　back。〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　not　try　that　game　with　a　sharp　hand　like　you；
Cartwright。〃

〃You　had　better　not；　sir；〃　said　Cartwright；　but　he　was　softened　a
little　by　the　compliment。

When　they　were　alone；　Falcon　began　by　saying　it　was　a　bad　job　for
him。

〃Why；　I　thought　you　was　a…going　to　pay　it　all　in　a　moment。〃

〃I　can't；　but　I　have　got　a　friend　over　the　way　that　could；　if　she
chose。　　She　has　always　got　money；　somehow。〃

〃Oh；　if　it　is　a　she；　it　is　all　right。〃

〃I　don't　know。　　She　has　quarrelled　with　me；　but　give　me　a　little
time。　　Here！　have　a　glass　of　sherry　and　a　biscuit；　while　I　try　it
on。〃

Having　thus　muffled　Cartwright；　this　man　of　the　world　opened　his
window　and　looked　out。　　The　crowd　had　followed　the　captured
dogcart；　so　he　had　the　street　to　himself。　　He　beckoned　to　Phoebe；
and　after　considerable　hesitation　she　opened　her　window。

〃Phoebe；〃　said　he；　in　tones　of　tender　regret；　admirably　natural　and
sweet；　〃I　shall　never　offend　you　again；　so　forgive　me　this　once。　　I
have　given　that　girl　up。〃

〃Not　you；〃　said　Phoebe；　sullenly。

〃Indeed　I　have。　　After　our　quarrel；　I　started　to　propose　to　her；
but　I　had　not　the　heart；　I　came　back　and　left　her。〃

〃Time　will　show。　　If　it　is　not　her；　it　will　be　some　other；　you
false；　heartless　villain。〃

〃Come；　I　say；　don't　be　so　hard　on　me　in　trouble。　　I　am　going　to
prison。〃

〃So　I　suppose。〃

〃Ah！　but　it　is　worse　than　you　think。　　I　am　only　taken　for　a　paltry
thirty　pounds　or　so。〃

〃Thirty…three；　fifteen；　five；〃　suggested　Cartwright；　in　a　muffled
whisper；　his　mouth　being　full　of　biscuit。

〃But　once　they　get　me　to　a　sponging…house；　detainers　will　pour　in；
and　my　cruel　creditors　will　confine　me　for　life。〃

〃It　is　the　best　place　for　you。　　It　will　put　a　stop　to　your
wickedness；　and　I　shall　be　at　peace。　　That's　what　I　have　never
known；　night　or　day；　this　three　years。〃

〃But　you　will　not　be　happy　if　you　see　me　go　to　prison　before　your
eyes。　　Were　you　ever　inside　a　prison？　　Just　think　what　it　must　be
to　be　cooped　up　in　those　cold　grim　cells　all　alone；　for　they　use　a
debtor　like　a　criminal　now。〃

Phoebe　shuddered；　but　she　said；　bravely；　〃Well；　tell　THEM　you　have
been　a…courting。　　There　was　a　time　I'd　have　died　sooner　than　see　a
hair　of　your　head　hurt；　but　it　is　all　over　now；　you　have　worn　me
out。〃

Then　she　began　to　cry。

Falcon　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　　〃It　is　no　more　than　I　deserve；〃　said
he。　　〃I'll　pack　up　my　things；　and　go　with　the　officer。　　Give　me　one
kind　word　at　parting；　and　I'll　think　of　it　in　my　prison；　night　and
day。〃

He　withdrew　from　the　window　with　another　deep　sigh；　told
Cartwright；　cheerfully；　it　was　all　right；　and　proceeded　to　pack　up
his　traps。

Meantime　Phoebe　sat　at　her　window　and　cried　bitterly。　　Her　words
had　been　braver　than　her　heart。

Falcon　managed　to　pay　the　trifle　he　owed　for　the　lodgings；　and
presently　he　came　out　with　Cartwright；　and　the　attendant　called　a
cab。　　His　things　were　thrown　in；　and　Cartwright　invited　him　to
follow。　　Then　he　looked　up；　and　cast　a　genuine　look　of　terror　and
misery　at　Phoebe。　　He　thought　she　would　have　relented　before　this。

Her　heart　gave　way；　I　am　afraid　it　would；　even　without　that　piteous
and　mute　appeal。　　She　opened　the　window；　and　asked　Mr。　Cartwright
if　he　would　be　good　enough　to　come　and　speak　to　her。

Cartwright　committed　his　prisoner　to　the　subordinate；　and　knocked
at　the　door　of　Phoebe's　lodgings。　　She　came　down　herself　and　let
him　in。　　She　led　the　way　upstairs；　motioned　him　to　a　seat；　sat　down
by　him；　and　began　to　cry　again。　　She　was　thoroughly　unstrung。

Cartwright　was　human；　and　muttered　some　words　of　regret　that　a　poor
fellow　must　do　his　duty。

〃Oh；　it　is　not　that；〃　sobbed　Phoebe。　　〃I　can　find　the　money。　　I
have　found　more　for　him　than　that；　many's　the　time。〃　　Then；　drying
her　eyes；　〃But　you　must　know　the　world；　and　I　dare　say　you　can　see
how　'tis　with　me。〃

〃I　can；〃　said　Cartwright；　gravely。　　〃I　overheard　you　and　him；　and；
my　girl；　if　you　take　my　advice；　why；　let　him　go。　　He　is　a　gentleman
skin　deep；　and　dresses　well；　and　can　palaver　a　girl；　no　doubt；　but
bless　your　heart；　I　can　see　at　a　glance　he　is　not　worth　your　little
finger；　an　honest；　decent　young　woman　like　you。　　Why；　it　is　like
butter　fighting　with　stone。　　Let　him　go；　or　I　will　tell　you　what　it
is；　you　will　hang　for　him　some　day；　or　else　make　away　with
yourself。〃

〃Ay；　sir；〃　said　Phoebe；　〃that's　likelier；　and　if　I　was　to　let　him
go　to　prison；　I　should　sit　me　down　and　think　of　his　parting　look；
and　I　should　fling　myself　into　the　water　for　him　before　I　was　a　day
older。〃

〃Ye　mustn't　do　that　anyway。　　While　there's　life　there's　hope。〃

Upon　this　Phoebe　put　him　a　question；　and　found　him　ready　to　do
anything　for　her；　in　reasonprovided　he　was　paid　for　it。　　And　the
end　of　it　all　was；　the　prisoner　was　conveyed　to　London；　Phoebe　got
the　requisite　sum；　Falcon　was　deposited　in　a　third…class　carriage
bound　for　Essex。　　Phoebe　paid　his　debt；　and　gave　Cartwright　a
present；　and　away　rattled　the　train　conveying　the　handsome　egotist
into　temporary　retirement；　to　wit；　at　a　village　five　miles　from　the
Dales'　farm。　　She　was　too　ashamed　of　her　young　gentleman　and
herself　to　be　seen　with　him　in　her　native　village。　　On　the　road
down　he　was　full　of　little　practical　attentions；　she　received　them
coldly；　his　mellifluous　mouth　was　often　at　her　car；　pouring　thanks
and　praises　into　it；　she　never　vouchsafed　a　word　of　reply。　　All　she
did　was　to　shudder　now　and　then；　and　cry　at　intervals。　　Yet；
whenever　he　left　her　side；　her　whole　body　became　restless；　and　when
he　came　back　to　her；　a　furtive　thrill　announced　the　insane
complacency　his　bare　contact　gave　her。　　Surely；　of　all　the　forms　in
which　love　torments　the　heart；　this　was　the　most　terrible　and
pitiable。