a simpleton-第3章

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He　came；　all　gratitude；　to　her　side；　and　they　sat；　hand　in　hand；
comforting　each　other：　indeed；　parting　was　such　sweet　sorrow　that
they　sat；　handed；　and　very　close　to　one　another；　till　Mr。　Lusignan；
who　thought　five　minutes　quite　enough　for　rational　beings　to　take
leave　in；　walked　into　the　room　and　surprised　them。　　At　sight　of　his
gray　head　and　iron…gray　eyebrows；　Christopher　Staines　started　up
and　looked　confused；　he　thought　some　apology　necessary；　so　he
faltered　out；　〃Forgive　me；　sir；　it　is　a　bitter　parting　to　me；　you
may　be　sure。〃

Rosa's　bosom　heaved　at　these　simple　words。　　She　flew　to　her　father；
and　cried；　〃Oh；　papa！　papa！　you　were　never　cruel　before；〃　and　hid
her　burning　face　on　his　shoulder；　and　then　burst　out　crying；　partly
for　Christopher；　partly　because　she　was　now　ashamed　of　herself　for
having　taken　a　young　man's　part　so　openly。

Mr。　Lusignan　looked　sadly　discomposed　at　this　outburst：　she　had
taken　him　by　his　weak　point；　he　told　her　so。　　〃Now；　Rosa；〃　said　he；
rather　peevishly；　〃you　know　I　hatenoise。〃

Rosa　had　actually　forgotten　that　trait　for　a　single　moment；　but；
being　reminded　of　it；　she　reduced　her　sobs　in　the　prettiest　way；
not　to　offend　a　tender　parent　who　could　not　bear　noise。　　Under　this
homely　term；　you　must　know；　he　included　all　scenes；　disturbances；
rumpuses；　passions；　and　expected　all　men；　women；　and　things　in　Kent
Villa　to　go　smoothlyor　go　elsewhere。

〃Come；　young　people；〃　said　he；　〃don't　make　a　disturbance。　　Where's
the　grievance？　　Have　I　said　he　shall　never　marry　you？　　Have　I
forbidden　him　to　correspond？　or　even　to　call；　say　twice　a　year。
All　I　say　is；　no　marriage；　nor　contract　of　marriage；　until　there　is
an　income。〃　　Then　he　turned　to　Christopher。　　〃Now　if　you　can't　make
an　income　without　her；　how　could　you　make　one　with　her；　weighed
down　by　the　load　of　expenses　a　wife　entails？　　I　know　her　better
than　you　do；　she　is　a　good　girl；　but　rather　luxurious　and　self…
indulgent。　　She　is　not　cut　out　for　a　poor　man's　wife。　　And　pray
don't　go　and　fancy　that　nobody　loves　my　child　but　you。　　Mine　is　not
so　hot　as　yours；　of　course；　but　believe　me；　sir；　it　is　less
selfish。　　You　would　expose　her　to　poverty　and　misery；　but　I　say　no；
it　is　my　duty　to　protect　her　from　all　chance　of　them；　and；　in　doing
it；　I　am　as　much　your　friend　as　hers；　if　you　could　but　see　it。
Come；　Dr。　Staines；　be　a　man；　and　see　the　world　as　it　is。　　I　have
told　you　how　to　earn　my　daughter's　hand　and　my　esteem：　you　must
gain　both；　or　neither。〃

Dr。　Staines　was　never　quite　deaf　to　reason：　he　now　put　his　hand　to
his　brow　and　said；　with　a　sort　of　wonder　and　pitiful　dismay；　〃My
love　for　Rosa　selfish！　　Sir；　your　words　are　bitter　and　hard。〃
Then；　after　a　struggle；　and　with　rare　and　touching　candor；　〃Ay；　but
so　are　bark　and　steel；　yet　they　are　good　medicines。〃　　Then　with　a
great　glow　in　his　heart　and　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃My　darling　shall
not　be　a　poor　man's　wife；　she　who　would　adorn　a　coronet；　ay；　or　a
crown。　　Good…by；　Rosa；　for　the　present。〃　　He　darted　to　her；　and
kissed　her　hand　with　all　his　soul。　　〃Oh；　the　sacrifice　of　leaving
you；〃　he　faltered；　〃the　very　world　is　dark　to　me　without　you。　　Ah；
well；　I　must　earn　the　right　to　come　again。〃　　He　summoned　all　his
manhood；　and　marched　to　the　door。　　There　he　seemed　to　turn　calmer
all　of　a　sudden；　and　said　firmly；　yet　humbly；　〃I'll　try　and　show
you；　sir；　what　love　can　do。〃

〃And　I'll　show　you　what　love　can　suffer；〃　said　Rosa；　folding　her
beautiful　arms　superbly。

It　was　not　in　her　to　have　shot　such　a　bolt；　except　in　imitation；
yet　how　promptly　the　mimic　thunder　came；　and　how　grand　the　beauty
looked；　with　her　dark　brows；　and　flashing　eyes；　and　folded　arms！
much　grander　and　more　inspired　than　poor　Staines；　who　had　only
furnished　the　idea。

But　between　these　two　figures　swelling　with　emotion；　the
representative　of　common　sense；　Lusignan　pere；　stood　cool　and
impassive；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　looked　on　both　lovers　as
a　couple　of　ranting　novices　he　was　saving　from　each　other　and
almshouses。

For　all　that；　when　the　lover　had　torn　himself　away；　papa's
composure　was　suddenly　disturbed　by　a　misgiving。　　He　stepped
hastily　to　the　stairhead；　and　gave　it　vent。　　〃Dr。　Staines；〃　said
he；　in　a　loud　whisper　（Staines　was　half　way　down　the　stairs：　he
stopped）。　　〃I　trust　to　you　as　a　gentleman；　not　to　mention　this；　it
will　never　transpire　here。　　Whatever　we　dono　noise！〃


CHAPTER　II。


Rosa　Lusignan　set　herself　pining　as　she　had　promised；　and　she　did
it　discreetly　for　so　young　a　person。　　She　was　never　peevish；　but
always　sad　and　listless。　　By　this　means　she　did　not　anger　her
parent；　but　only　made　him　feel　she　was　unhappy；　and　the　house　she
had　hitherto　brightened　exceeding　dismal。

By　degrees　this　noiseless　melancholy　undermined　the　old　gentleman；
and　he　well…nigh　tottered。

But　one　day；　calling　suddenly　on　a　neighbor　with　six　daughters；　he
heard　peals　of　laughter；　and　found　Rosa　taking　her　full　share　of
the　senseless　mirth。　　She　pulled　up　short　at　sight　of　him；　and
colored　high；　but　it　was　too　late；　for　he　launched　a　knowing　look
at　her　on　the　spot；　and　muttered　something　about　seven　foolish
virgins。

He　took　the　first　opportunity；　when　they　were　alone；　and　told　her
he　was　glad　to　find　she　was　only　dismal　at　home。

But　Rosa　had　prepared　for　him。　　〃One　can　be　loud　without　being　gay
at　heart；〃　said　she；　with　a　lofty；　languid　air。　　〃I　have　not
forgotten　your　last　words　to　HIM。　　We　were　to　hide　our　broken
hearts　from　the　world。　　I　try　to　obey　you；　dear　papa；　but；　if　I　had
my　way；　I　would　never　go　into　the　world　at　all。　　I　have　but　one
desire　nowto　end　my　days　in　a　convent。〃

〃Please　begin　them　first。　　A　convent！　　Why；　you'd　turn　it　out　of
window。　　You　are　no　more　fit　to　be　a　nun　thana　pauper。〃

Not　having　foreseen　this　facer；　Rosa　had　nothing　ready；　so　she
received　it　with　a　sad；　submissive；　helpless　sigh；　as　who　would
say；　〃Hit　me；　papa：　I　have　no　friend　now。〃　　So　then　he　was　sorry　he
had　been　so　clever；　and；　indeed；　there　is　one　provoking　thing　about
〃a　woman's　weakness〃it　is　invincible。

The　next　minute；　what　should　come　but　a　long　letter　from　Dr。
Staines；　detailing　his　endeavors　to　purchase　a　practice　in　London；
and　his　ill…success。　　The　letter　spoke　the　language　of　love　and
hope；　but　the　facts　were　discouraging；　and；　indeed；　a　touching
sadness　pierced　through　the　veil　of　the　brave　words。

Rosa　read　it　again　and　again；　and　cried　over　it　before　her　father；
to　encourage　him　in　his　heartless　behavior。

About　ten　days　after　this；　something　occurred　that　altered　her　mood。

She　became　grave　and　thoughtful；　but　no　longer　lugubrious。　　She
seemed　desirous　to　atone　to　her　father　for　having　disturbed　his
cheerfulness。　　She　smiled　affectionately　on　him；　and　often　sat　on　a
stool　at　his　knee；　and　glided　her　hand　into　his。

He　was　not　a　little　pleased；　and　said　to　himself；　〃She　is　coming
round　to　common…sense。〃

Now；　on　the　contrary；　she　was　farther　from　it　than　ever。

At　last　he　got　the　clew。　　One　afternoon　he　met　Mr。　Wyman　coming　out
of　the　villa。　　Mr。　Wyman　was　the　consulting　surgeon　of　that　part。

〃What！　anybody　ill？〃　said　Mr。　Lusignan。　　〃One　of　the　servants？〃

〃No；　it　is　Miss　Lusignan。〃

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　her？〃

Wyman　hesitated。　　〃Oh；　nothing　very　alarming。　　Would　you　mind
asking　her？〃

〃Why？〃

〃The　fact　is；　she　requested　me　not　to　tell　you：　made　me　promise。〃

〃And　I　insist　upon　your　telling　me。〃

〃And　I　think　you　are　quite　right；　sir；　as　her　father。　　Well；　she　is
troubled　with　a　little　spitting　of　blood。〃

Mr。　Lusignan　turned　pale。　　〃My　child！　spitting　of　blood！　　God
forbid！〃

〃Oh；　do　not　alarm　yourself。　　It　is　nothing　serious。〃

〃Don't　tell　me！〃　said　the　father。　　〃It　is　always　serious。　　And　she
kept　this　from　me！〃

Masking　his　agitation　for　the　time；　he　inquired　how　often　it　had
occurred；　this　grave　symptom。

〃Three　or　four　times　this　last　month。　　But　I　may　as　well　tell　you
at　once：　I　have　examined　her　carefully；　and　I　do　not　think　it　is
from　the　lungs。〃

〃From　the　throat；　then？〃

〃No；　from　the　liver。　　Everything　points　to　that　organ　as　the　seat
of　derangement：　not　that　there　is　any　lesion；　only　a　tendency　to
congestion。　　I　am　treating　her　accordingly；