a simpleton-第25章

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fifty　ladies　went　outfancy；　all　Mrs。　Browns！　　Wasn't　that　fun？〃

〃Fun？　　I　don't　see　it。　　Well；　Rosa；　your　mind　is　evidently　better
adapted　to　diversion　than　mine　is。　　Go　you　to　church；　love；　and
I'll　continue　my　studies。〃

〃Then　all　I　can　say　is；　I　wish　I　was　back　in　my　father's　house。
Husband！　friend！　companion！I　have　none。〃

Then　she　burst　out　crying　violently；　and；　being　shocked　at　what　she
had　said；　and　at　the　agony　it　had　brought　into　her　husband's　face；
she　went　off　into　hysterics；　and　as　his　heart　would　not　let　him
bellow　at　her；　or　empty　a　bucket　on　her　as　he　would　on　another
patient；　she　had　a　good　long　bout　of　them：　and　got　her　way；　for　she
broke　up　his　studies　for　that　day；　at　all　events。

Even　after　the　hysterics　were　got　under；　she　continued　to　moan　and
sigh　very　prettily；　with　her　lovely；　languid　head　pillowed　on　her
husband's　arm；　in　a　word；　though　the　hysterics　were　real；　yet　this
innocent　young　person　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　postpone　entire
convalescence；　and　lay　herself　out　to　be　petted　all　day。　　But　fate
willed　it　otherwise：　while　she　was　sighing　and　moaning；　came　to　the
door　a　scurrying　of　feet；　and　then　a　sharp；　persistent　ringing　that
meant　something。　　The　moaner　cocked　eye　and　ear；　and　said；　in　her
every…day　voice；　which；　coming　so　suddenly；　sounded　very　droll；
〃What　is　that；　I　wonder？〃

Jane　hurried　to　the　street…door；　and　Rosa　recovered　by　magic；　and；
preferring　gossip　to　hysterics；　in　an　almost　gleeful　whisper；
ordered　Christopher　to　open　the　door　of　the　study。　　The　Bijou　was
so　small　that　the　following　dialogue　rang　in　their　ears：

A　boy　in　buttons　gasped　out；　〃Oh；　if　you　please；　will　you　ast　the
doctor　to　come　round　directly；　there's　a　haccident。〃

〃La；　bless　me！〃　said　Jane；　and　never　budged。

〃Yes；　miss。　　It's　our　missus's　little　girl　fallen　right　off　an
i…chair；　and　cut　her　head　dreadful；　and　smothered　in　blood。〃

〃La；　to　be　sure！〃　And　she　waited　steadily　for　more。

〃Ay；　and　missus　she　fainted　right　off；　and　I've　been　to　the　regler
doctor；　which　he's　out；　and　Sarah；　the　housemaid；　said　I　had　better
come　here；　you　was　only　just　set　up；　she　said；　you　wouldn't　have　so
much　to　do；　says　she。〃

〃That　is　all　SHE　knows；〃　said　Jane。　　〃Why；　our　masterthey　pulls
him　in　pieces　which　is　to　have　him　fust。〃

〃What　an　awful　liar！　　Oh；　you　good　girl！〃　whispered　Dr。　Staines　and
Rosa　in　one　breath。

〃Ah；　well；〃　said　Buttons；　〃any　way；　Sarah　says　she　knows　you　are
clever；　'cos　her　little　girl　as　lives　with　her　mother；　and　calls
Sarah　aunt；　has　bin　to　your　'spensary　with　ringworm；　and　you　cured
her　right　off。〃

〃Ay；　and　a　good　many　more；〃　said　Jane；　loftily。　　She　was　a
housemaid　of　imagination；　and　while　Staines　was　putting　some　lint
and　an　instrument　case　into　his　pocket；　she　proceeded　to　relate　a
number　of　miraculous　cures。　　Dr。　Staines　interrupted　them　by
suddenly　emerging；　and　inviting　Buttons　to　take　him　to　the　house。

Mrs。　Staines　was　so　pleased　with　Jane　for　cracking　up　the　doctor；
that　she　gave　her　five　shillings；　and；　after　that；　used　to　talk　to
her　a　great　deal　more　than　to　the　cook；　which　judicious　conduct
presently　set　all　three　by　the　ears。

Buttons　took　the　doctor　to　a　fine　house　in　the　same　street；　and
told　him　his　mistress's　name　on　the　wayMrs。　Lucas。　　He　was　taken
up　to　the　nursery；　and　found　Mrs。　Lucas　seated；　crying　and
lamenting；　and　a　woman　holding　a　little　girl　of　about　seven；　whose
brow　had　been　cut　open　by　the　fender；　on　which　she　had　fallen　from
a　chair；　it　looked　very　ugly；　and　was　even　now　bleeding。

Dr。　Staines　lost　no　time；　he　examined　the　wound　keenly；　and　then
said　kindly　to　Mrs。　Lucas；　〃I　am　happy　to　tell　you　it　is　not
serious。〃　　He　then　asked　for　a　large　basin　and　some　tepid　water；
and　bathed　it　so　softly　and　soothingly　that　the　child　soon　became
composed；　and　the　mother　discovered　the　artist　at　once。　　He
compressed　the　wound；　and　explained　to　Mrs。　Lucas　that　the
principal　thing　really　was　to　avoid　an　ugly　scar。　　〃There　is　no
danger；〃　said　he。　　He　then　bound　the　wound　neatly　up；　and　had　the
girl　put　to　bed。　　〃You　will　not　wake　her　at　any　particular　hour；
nurse。　　Let　her　sleep。　　Have　a　little　strong　beef…tea　ready；　and
give　it　her　at　any　hour；　night　or　day；　she　asks　for　it。　　But　do　not
force　it　on　her；　or　you　will　do　her　more　harm　than　good。　　She　had
better　sleep　before　she　eats。〃

Mrs。　Lucas　begged　him　to　come　every　morning；　and；　as　he　was　going；
she　shook　hands　with　him；　and　the　soft　palm　deposited　a　hard
substance　wrapped　in　paper。　　He　took　it　with　professional　gravity
and　seeming　unconsciousness；　but；　once　outside　the　house；　went　home
on　wings。　　He　ran　up　to　the　drawing…room；　and　found　his　wife
seated；　and　playing　at　reading。　　He　threw　himself　on　his　knees；　and
the　fee　into　her　lap；　and；　while　she　unfolded　the　paper　with　an
ejaculation　of　pleasure；　he　said；　〃Darling；　the　first　real　patient
the　first　real　fee。　　It　is　yours　to　buy　the　new　bonnet。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad！〃　said　she；　with　her　eyes　glistening。　　〃But　I'm
afraid　one　can't　get　a　bonnet　fit　to　wearfor　a　guinea。〃

Dr。　Staines　visited　his　little　patient　every　day；　and　received　his
guinea。　　Mrs。　Lucas　also　called　him　in　for　her　own　little　ailments；
and　they　were　the　best　possible　kind　of　ailments：　for；　being
imaginary；　there　was　no　limit　to　them。

Then　did　Mrs。　Staines　turn　jealous　of　her　husband。　　〃They　never　ask
me；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　am　moped　to　death。〃

〃It　is　hard；〃　said　Christopher；　sadly。　　〃But　have　a　little
patience。　　Society　will　come　to　you　long　before　practice　comes　to
me。〃

About　two　o'clock　one　afternoon　a　carriage　and　pair　drove　up；　and　a
gorgeous　footman　delivered　a　card〃Lady　Cicely　Treherne。〃

Of　course　Mrs。　Staines　was　at　home；　and　only　withheld　by　propriety
from　bounding　into　the　passage　to　meet　her　school…fellow。　　However；
she　composed　herself　in　the　drawing…room；　and　presently　the　door
was　opened；　and　a　very　tall　young　woman；　richly　but　not　gayly
dressed；　drifted　into　the　room；　and　stood　there　a　statue　of
composure。

Rosa　had　risen　to　fly　to　her；　but　the　reverence　a　girl　of　eighteen
strikes　into　a　child　of　twelve　hung　about　her　still；　and　she　came
timidly　forward；　blushing　and　sparkling；　a　curious　contrast　in
color　and　mind　to　her　visitor；　for　Lady　Cicely　was　Languor　in
personher　hair　whitey…brown；　her　face　a　fine　oval；　but　almost
colorless；　her　eyes　a　pale　gray；　her　neck　and　hands　incomparably
white　and　beautifula　lymphatic　young　lady；　a　live　antidote　to
emotion。　　However；　Rosa's　beauty；　timidity；　and　undisguised
affectionateness　were　something　so　different　from　what　she　was　used
to　in　the　world　of　fashion；　that　she　actually　smiled；　and　held　out
both　her　hands　a　little　way。　　Rosa　seized　them；　and　pressed　them；
they　left　her；　and　remained　passive　and　limp。

〃O　Lady　Cicely；〃　said　Rosa；　〃how　kind　of　you　to　come。〃

〃How　kind　of　you　to　send　to　me；〃　was　the　polite；　but　perfectly　cool
reply。　　〃But　how　you　are　gwown；　andmay　I　say　impwoved？You　la
petite　Lusignan！　　It　is　incwedible；〃　lisped　her　ladyship；　very
calmly。

〃I　was　only　a　child；〃　said　Rosa。　　〃You　were　always　so　beautiful　and
tall；　and　kind　to　a　little　monkey　like　me。　　Oh；　pray　sit　down；　Lady
Cicely；　and　talk　of　old　times。〃

She　drew　her　gently　to　the　sofa；　and　they　sat　down　hand　in　hand；
but　Lady　Cicely's　high…bred　reserve　made　her　a　very　poor　gossip
about　anything　that　touched　herself　and　her　family；　so　Rosa；　though
no　egotist；　was　drawn　into　talking　about　herself　more　than　she
would　have　done　had　she　deliberately　planned　the　conversation。　　But
here　was　an　old　school…fellow；　and　a　singularly　polite　listener；
and　so　out　came　her　love；　her　genuine　happiness；　her　particular
griefs；　and　especially　the　crowning　grievance；　no　society；　moped　to
death；　etc。

Lady　Cicely　could　hardly　understand　the　sentiment　in　a　woman　who　so
evidently　loved　her　husband。　　〃Society！〃　said　she；　after　due
reflection；　〃why；　it　is　a　boa。〃　　（And　here　I　may　as　well　explain
that　Lady　Cicely　spoke　certain　words　falsely；　and　others
affectedly；　and　as　for　the　letter　r；　she　could　say　it　if　she　made　a
hearty　effort；　but　was　generally　too　lazy　to　throw　her　leg　over
it。）　　〃Society！　　I'm　dwenched　to　death　with　it。　　If　I　could　only
catch　fiah　li