a simpleton-第28章

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invited　her　to　every　party；　because　her　beauty　was　an　instrument　of
attraction　she　knew　how　to　use；　and　Miss　Lucas　took　a　downright
fancy　to　her；　drove　her　in　the　park；　and　on　Sundays　to　the
Zoological　Gardens；　just　beginning　to　be　fashionable。

The　Lucases　rented　a　box　at　the　opera；　and　if　it　was　not　let　at　the
library　by　six　o'clock；　and　if　other　engagements　permitted；　word
was　sent　round　to　Mrs。　Staines；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　she　was
taken　to　the　opera。　　She　began　almost　to　live　at　the　Lucases；　and
to　be　oftener　fatigued　than　moped。

The　usual　order　of　things　was　inverted；　the　maiden　lady　educated
the　matron；　for　Miss　Lucas　knew　all　about　everybody　in　the　Park；
honorable　or　dishonorable；　all　the　scandals；　and　all　the
flirtations；　and　whatever　she　knew；　she　related　point…blank。　　Being
as　inquisitive　as　voluble；　she　soon　learned　how　Mrs。　Staines　and
her　husband　were　situated。　　She　took　upon　her　to　advise　her　in　many
things；　and　especially　impressed　upon　her　that　Dr。　Staines　must
keep　a　carriage；　if　he　wanted　to　get　on　in　medicine。　　The　piece　of
advice　accorded　so　well　with　Rosa's　wishes；　that　she　urged　it　on
her　husband　again　and　again。

He　objected　that　no　money　was　coming　in；　and　therefore　it　would　be
insane　to　add　to　their　expenses。　　Rosa　persisted；　and　at　last
worried　Staines　with　her　importunity。　　He　began　to　give　rather
short　answers。　　Then　she　quoted　Miss　Lucas　against　him。　　He　treated
the　authority　with　marked　contempt；　and　then　Rosa　fired　up　a
little。　　Then　Staines　held　his　peace；　but　did　not　buy　a　carriage　to
visit　his　no　patients。

So　at　last　Rosa　complained　to　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　and　made　her
the　judge　between　her　husband　and　herself。　　Lady　Cicely　drawled　out
a　prompt　but　polite　refusal　to　play　that　part。　　All　that　could　be
elicited　from　her；　and　that　with　difficulty；　was；　〃Why　quall　with
your　husband　about　a　cawwige；　he　is　your　best　fwiend。〃

〃Ah；　that　he　is；〃　said　Rosa；　〃but　Miss　Lucas　is　a　good　friend；　and
she　knows　the　world。　　We　don't；　neither　Christopher　nor　I。〃

So　she　continued　to　nag　at　her　husband　about　it；　and　to　say　that　he
was　throwing　his　only　chance　away。

Galled　as　he　was　by　neglect；　this　was　irritating；　and　at　last　he
could　not　help　telling　her　she　was　unreasonable。　　〃You　live　a　gay
life；　and　I　a　sad　one。　　I　consent　to　this；　and　let　you　go　about
with　these　Lucases；　because　you　were　so　dull；　but　you　should　not
consult　them　in　our　private　affairs。　　Their　interference　is
indelicate　and　improper。　　I　will　not　set　up　a　carriage　till　I　have
patients　to　visit。　　I　am　sick　of　seeing　our　capital　dwindle；　and　no
income　created。　　I　will　never　set　up　a　carriage　till　I　have　taken　a
hundred…guinea　fee。〃

〃Oh！　　Then　we　shall　go　splashing　through　the　mud　all　our　days。〃

〃Or　ride　in　a　cab；〃　said　Christopher；　with　a　quiet　doggedness　that
left　no　hope　of　his　yielding。

One　afternoon　Miss　Lucas　called　for　Mrs。　Staines　to　drive　in　the
Park；　but　did　not　come　up…stairs；　it　was　an　engagement；　and　she
knew　Mrs。　Staines　would　be　ready；　or　nearly。　　Mrs。　Staines；　not　to
keep　her　waiting；　came　down　rather　hastily；　and　in　the　very　passage
whipped　out　of　her　pocket　a　little　glass；　and　a　little　powder　puff；
and　puffed　her　face　all　over　in　a　trice。　　She　was　then　going　out；
but　her　husband　called　her　into　the　study。　　〃Rosa；　my　dear；〃　said
he；　〃you　were　going　out　with　a　dirty　face。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　she；　〃give　me　a　glass。〃

〃There　is　no　need　of　that。　　All　you　want　is　a　basin　and　some　nice
rain…water。　　I　keep　a　little　reservoir　of　it。〃

He　then　handed　her　the　same　with　great　politeness。　　She　looked　in
his　eye；　and　saw　he　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。　　She　complied　like
a　lamb；　and　the　heavenly　color　and　velvet　gloss　that　resulted　were
admirable。

He　kissed　her　and　said；　〃Ah！　now　you　are　my　Rosa　again。　　Oblige　me
by　handing　over　that　powder…puff　to　me。〃　　She　looked　vexed；　but
complied。　　〃When　you　come　back　I　will　tell　you　why。〃

〃You　are　a　pest；〃　said　Mrs。　Staines；　and　so　joined　her　friend；　rosy
with　rain…water　and　a　rub。

〃Dear　me；　how　handsome　you　look　to…day！〃　was　Miss　Lucas's　first
remark。

Rosa　never　dreamed　that　rain…water　and　rub　could　be　the　cause　of
her　looking　so　well。

〃It　is　my　tiresome　husband；〃　said　she。　　〃He　objects　to　powder；　and
he　has　taken　away　my　puff。〃

〃And　you　stood　that？〃

〃Obliged　to。〃

〃Why；　you　poor…spirited　little　creature；　I　should　like　to　see　a
husband　presume　to　interfere　with　me　in　those　things。　　Here；　take
mine。〃

Rosa　hesitated　a　little。　　〃WellnoI　think　not。〃

Miss　Lucas　laughed　at　her；　and　quizzed　her　so　on　her　allowing　a　man
to　interfere　in　such　sacred　things　as　dress　and　cosmetics；　that　she
came　back　irritated　with　her　husband；　and　gave　him　a　short　answer
or　two。　　Then　he　asked　what　was　the　matter。

〃You　treat　me　like　a　childtaking　away　my　very　puff。〃

〃I　treat　you　like　a　beautiful　flower；　that　no　bad　gardener　shall
wither　whilst　I　am　here。〃

〃What　nonsense！　　How　could　that　wither　me？　　It　is　only　violet
powderwhat　they　put　on　babies。〃

〃And　who　are　the　Herods　that　put　it　on　babies？〃

〃Their　own　mothers；　that　love　them　ten　times　more　than　the　fathers
do。〃

〃And　kill　a　hundred　of　them　for　one　a　man　ever　kills。　　Mothers！
the　most　wholesale　homicides　in　the　nation。　　We　will　examine　your
violet…powder：　bring　it　down　here。〃

While　she　was　gone　he　sent　for　a　breakfast…cupful　of　flour；　and
when　she　came　back　he　had　his　scales　out；　and　begged　her　to　put　a
teaspoonful　of　flour　into　one　scale　and　of　violet　powder　into
another。　　The　flour　kicked　the　beam；　as　Homer　expresses　himself。

〃Put　another　spoonful　of　flour。〃

The　one　spoonful　of　violet　powder　outweighed　the　two　of　flour。

〃Now；〃　said　Staines；　〃does　not　that　show　you　the　presence　of　a
mineral　in　your　vegetable　powder？　　I　suppose　they　tell　you　it　is
made　of　white　violets　dried；　and　triturated　in　a　diamond　mill。　　Let
us　find　out　what　metal　it　is。　　We　need　not　go　very　deep　into
chemistry　for　that。〃　　He　then　applied　a　simple　test；　and　detected
the　presence　of　lead　in　large　quantities。　　Then　he　lectured　her：
〃Invisible　perspiration　is　a　process　of　nature　necessary　to　health
and　to　life。　　The　skin　is　made　porous　for　that　purpose。　　You　can
kill　anybody　in　an　hour　or　two　by　closing　the　pores。　　A　certain
infallible　ass；　called　Pope　Leo　XII。；　killed　a　little　boy　in　two
hours；　by　gilding　him　to　adorn　the　pageant　of　his　first　procession
as　Pope。　　But　what　is　death　to　the　whole　body　must　be　injurious　to
a　part。　　What　madness；　then；　to　clog　the　pores　of　so　large　and
important　a　surface　as　the　face；　and　check　the　invisible
perspiration：　how　much　more　to　insert　lead　into　your　system　every
day　of　your　life；　a　cumulative　poison；　and　one　so　deadly　and　so
subtle；　that　the　Sheffield　file…cutters　die　in　their　prime；　from
merely　hammering　on　a　leaden　anvil。　　And　what　do　you　gain　by　this
suicidal　habit？　　No　plum　has　a　sweeter　bloom　or　more　delicious
texture　than　the　skin　of　your　young　face；　but　this　mineral　filth
hides　that　delicate　texture；　and　substitutes　a　dry；　uniform
appearance；　more　like　a　certain　kind　of　leprosy　than　health。
Nature　made　your　face　the　rival　of　peaches；　roses；　lilies；　and　you
say；　'No；　I　know　better　than　my　Creator　and　my　God；　my　face　shall
be　like　a　dusty　miller's。'　　Go　into　any　flour…mill；　and　there　you
shall　see　men　with　faces　exactly　like　your　friend　Miss　Lucas's。
But　before　a　miller　goes　to　his　sweetheart；　he　always　washes　his
face。　　You　ladies　would　never　get　a　miller　down　to　your　level　in
brains。　　It　is　a　miller's　DIRTY　face　our　mono…maniacs　of　woman
imitate；　not　the　face　a　miller　goes　a…courting　with。〃

〃La！　what　a　fuss　about　nothing！〃

〃About　nothing！　　Is　your　health　nothing？　　Is　your　beauty　nothing？
Well；　then；　it　will　cost　you　nothing　to　promise　me　never　to　put
powder　on　your　face　again。〃

〃Very　well；　I　promise。　　Now　what　will　you　do　for　me？〃

〃Work　for　youwrite　for　yousuffer　for　yoube　self…denying　for
youand　even　give　myself　the　pain　of　disappointing　you　now　and
thenlooking　forward　to　the　time　when　I　shall　be　able　to　say　'Yes'
to　everything　you　ask　me。　　Ah！　child；　you　little　know　what　it　costs
me　to　say　'No'　to　YOU。〃

Rosa　put　her　arms　round　him　and　acquiesced。　　She　was　one　of