a simpleton-第17章

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married　six　months。　　Florry；　you　are　handsomer　than　ever；　and　what
a　beautiful　dress！　　Ah！　London　is　the　place。　　Real　Brussels；　I
declare；〃　and　she　took　hold　of　her　friend's　lace　and　gloated　on　it。

Christopher　smiled　good…naturedly；　and　said；　〃I　dare　say　you　ladies
have　a　good　deal　to　say　to　each　other。〃

〃Oceans；〃　said　Rosa。

〃I　will　go　and　hunt　houses　again。〃

〃There's　a　good　husband；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole；　as　soon　as　the　door
closed　on　him；　〃and　such　a　fine　man！　　Why；　he　must　be　six　feet。
Mine　is　rather　short。　　But　he　is　very　good；　refuses　me　nothing。　　My
will　is　law。〃

〃That　is　all　rightyou　are　so　sensible；　but　I　want　governing　a
little；　and　I　like　itactually。　　Did　the　dressmaker　find　it；
dear？〃

〃Oh；　no！　　I　had　it　by　me。　　I　bought　it　at　Brussels　on　our　wedding
tour：　it　is　dearer　there　than　in　London。〃

She　said　this　as　if　〃dearer〃　and　〃better〃　were　synonymous。

〃But　about　your　house；　Rosie　dear？〃

〃Yes；　darling；　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。　　I　never　saw　a　moire
this　shade　before。　　I　don't　care　for　them　in　general；　but　this　is
so　distingue。〃

Florence　rewarded　her　with　a　kiss。

〃The　house；〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Oh；　he　has　seen　one　in　Portman　Street；
and　one　in　Gloucester　Place。〃

〃Oh；　that　will　never　do；〃　cried　Mrs。　Cole。　　〃It　is　no　use　being　a
physician　in　those　out…of…the…way　places。　　He　must　be　in　Mayfair。〃

〃Must　he？〃

〃Of　course。　　Besides；　then　my　Johnnie　can　call　him　in　when　they　are
just　going　to　die。　　Johnnie　is　a　general　prac。；　and　makes　two
thousand　a　year；　and　he　shall　call　your　one　in；　but　he　must　live　in
Mayfair。　　Why；　Rosie；　you　would　not　be　such　a　goose　as　to　live　in
those　placesthey　are　quite　gone　by。〃

〃I　shall　do　whatever　you　advise　me；　dear。　　Oh；　what　a　comfort　to
have　a　dear　friend：　and　six　months　married；　and　knows　things。　　How
richly　it　is　trimmed！　　Why；　it　is　nearly　all　trimmings。〃

〃That　is　the　fashion。〃

〃Oh！〃

And　after　that　big　word　there　was　no　more　to　be　said。

These　two　ladies　in　their　conversation　gravitated　towards　dress；
and　fell　flat　on　it　every　half…minute。　　That　great　and　elevating
topic　held　them　by　a　silken　cord；　but　it　allowed　them　to　flutter
upwards　into　other　topics；　and　in　those　intervals；　numerous　though
brief；　the　lady　who　had　been　married　six　months　found　time　to
instruct　the　matrimonial　novice　with　great　authority；　and　even　a
shade　of　pomposity。　　〃My　dear；　the　way　ladies　and　gentlemen　get　a
housein　the　first　place；　you　don't　go　about　yourself　like　that；
and　you　never　go　to　the　people　themselves；　or　you　are　sure　to　be
taken　in；　but　to　a　respectable　house…agent。〃

〃Yes；　dear；　that　must　be　the　best　way；　one　would　think。〃

〃Of　course　it　is；　and　you　ask　for　a　house　in　Mayfair；　and　he　shows
you　several；　and　recommends　you　the　best；　and　sees　you　are　not
cheated。〃

〃Thank　you；　love；〃　said　Rosa；　〃now　I　know　what　to　do；　I'll　not
forget　a　word。　　And　the　train　so　beautifully　shaped！　　Ah！　it　is
only　in　London　or　Paris　they　can　make　a　dress　flow　behind　like
that；〃　etc。；　etc。

Dr。　Staines　came　back　to　dinner　in　good　spirits；　he　had　found　a
house　in　Harewood　Square；　good　entrance　hall；　where　his　gratuitous
patients　might　sit　on　benches；　good　dining…room　where　his　superior
patients　might　wait；　and　good　library；　to　be　used　as　a　consulting…
room。　　Rent　only　eighty…five　pounds　per　annum。

But　Rosa　told　him　that　would　never　do；　a　physician　must　be　in　the
fashionable　part　of　the　town。

〃Eventually；〃　said　Christopher；　〃but　surely　at　first　startingand
you　know　they　say　little　boats　should　not　go　too　far　from　shore。〃

Then　Rosa　repeated　all　her　friend's　arguments；　and　seemed　so
unhappy　at　the　idea　of　not　living　near　her；　that　Staines；　who　had
not　yet　said　the　hard　word　〃no〃　to　her；　gave　in；　consoling　his
prudence　with　the　reflection　that；　after　all；　Mr。　Cole　could　put
many　a　guinea　in　his　way；　for　Mr。　Cole　was　middle…aged；though　his
wife　was　young；and　had　really　a　very　large　practice。

So　next　day；　the　newly…wedded　pair　called　on　a　house…agent　in
Mayfair；　and　his　son　and　partner　went　with　them　to　several　places。
The　rents　of　houses　equal　to　that　in　Harewood　Square　were　three
hundred　pounds　a　year　at　least；　and　a　premium　to　boot。

Christopher　told　him　these　were　quite　beyond　the　mark。　　〃Very
well；〃　said　the　agent。　　〃Then　I'll　show　you　a　Bijou。〃

Rosa　clapped　her　hands。　　〃That　is　the　thing　for　us。　　We　don't　want
a　large　house；　only　a　beautiful　one；　and　in　Mayfair。〃

〃Then　the　Bijou　will　be　sure　to　suit　you。〃

He　took　them　to　the　Bijou。

The　Bijou　had　a　small　dining…room　with　one　very　large　window　in　two
sheets　of　plate　glass；　and　a　projecting　balcony　full　of　flowers；　a
still　smaller　library；　which　opened　on　a　square　yard　enclosed。
Here　were　a　great　many　pots；　with　flowers　dead　or　dying　from
neglect。　　On　the　first　floor　a　fair…sized　drawing…room；　and　a　tiny
one　at　the　back：　on　the　second　floor；　one　good　bedroom；　and　a
dressing…room；　or　little　bedroom：　three　garrets　above。

Rosa　was　in　ecstasies。　　〃It　is　a　nest；〃　said　she。

〃It　is　a　bank…note；〃　said　the　agent；　stimulating　equal　enthusiasm；
after　his　fashion。　　〃You　can　always　sell　the　lease　again　for　more
money。〃

Christopher　kept　cool。　　〃I　don't　want　a　house　to　sell；　but　to　live
in；　and　do　my　business；　I　am　a　physician：　now　the　drawing…room　is
built　over　the　entrance　to　a　mews；　the　back　rooms　all　look　into　a
mews：　we　shall　have　the　eternal　noise　and　smell　of　a　mews。　　My
wife's　rest　will　be　broken　by　the　carriages　rolling　in　and　out。
The　hall　is　fearfully　small　and　stuffy。　　The　rent　is　abominably
high；　and　what　is　the　premium　for；　I　wonder？〃

〃Always　a　premium　in　Mayfair；　sir。　　A　lease　is　property　here：　the
gentleman　is　not　acquainted　with　this　part；　madam。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　he　is；〃　said　Rosa；　as　boldly　as　a　six　years'　wife：　〃he
knows　everything。〃

〃Then　he　knows　that　a　house　of　this　kind　at　a　hundred　and　thirty
pounds　a　year　in　Mayfair　is　a　bank…note。〃

Staines　turned　to　Rosa。　　〃The　poor　patients；　where　am　I　to　receive
them？〃

〃In　the　stable；〃　suggested　the　house　agent。

〃Oh！〃　said　Rosa；　shocked。

〃Well；　then；　the　coach…house。　　Why；　there's　plenty　of　room　for　a
brougham；　and　one　horse；　and　fifty　poor　patients　at　a　time：　beggars
musn't　be　choosers；　if　you　give　them　physic　gratis；　that　is　enough：
you　ain't　bound　to　find　'em　a　palace　to　sit　down　in；　and　hot　coffee
and　rump　steaks　all　round；　doctor。〃

This　tickled　Rosa　so　that　she　burst　out　laughing；　and　thenceforward
giggled　at　intervals；　wit　of　this　refined　nature　having　all　the
charm　of　novelty　for　her。

They　inspected　the　stables；　which　were　indeed　the　one　redeeming
feature　in　the　horrid　little　Bijou；　and　then　the　agent　would　show
them　the　kitchen；　and　the　new　stove。　　He　expatiated　on　this　to　Mrs。
Staines。　　〃Cook　a　dinner　for　thirty　people；　madam。〃

〃And　there's　room　for　them　to　eat　itin　the　road；〃　said　Staines。

The　agent　reminded　him　there　were　larger　places　to　be　had；　by　a
very　simple　process；　viz。；　paying　for　them。

Staines　thought　of　the　large；　comfortable　house　in　Harewood　Square。
〃One　hundred　and　thirty　pounds　a　year　for　this　poky　little　hole？〃
he　groaned。

〃Why；　it　is　nothing　at　all　for　a　Bijou。〃

〃But　it　is　too　much　for　a　bandbox。〃

Rosa　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm；　with　an　imploring　glance。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　submit　to　the　rent；　but　I　really　cannot　give
the　premium；　it　is　too　ridiculous。　　He　ought　to　bribe　me　to　rent
it；　not　I　him。〃

〃Can't　be　done　without；　sir。〃

〃Well；　I'll　give　a　hundred　pounds　and　no　more。〃

〃Impossible；　sir。〃

〃Then　good　morning。　　Now；　dearest；　just　come　and　see　the　house　at
Harewood　Square；eighty…five　pounds　and　no　premium。〃

〃Will　you　oblige　me　with　your　address；　doctor？〃　said　the　agent。

〃Dr。　Staines；　Morley's　Hotel。〃

And　so　they　left　Mayfair。

Rosa　sighed　and　said；　〃Oh；　the　nice　little　place；　and　we　have　lost
it　for　two　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Two　hundred　pounds　is　a　great　deal　for　us　to　throw　away。〃

〃Being　near　the　Coles　would　soon　have　made　that　up　to　you：　and　such
a　cosey　little　nest。〃

〃Well　the　house　will　not　run　away。〃

〃But　somebody　is　sure　to　snap　it　up。　　It　is　a　Bijou。〃　　She　was
disappointed；　and　half　inclined　to　pout。　　But　she　vented　her
feelings　in　a　letter　to　her　beloved　Florry；